The Legend of Zelda: the Lands of the Dead
by Narutotoro
Summary: A trip to Mexico takes a terrifying turn when Cleo gets kidnapped. Then she gets unexpected aid from an ancient god of death who demands her servitude in exchange in order to get back a stolen artifact. But could she really trust such a dark being? A Legend of Zelda / Book of Life crossover. Rated T plus for language and violence and one case of self harm.
1. Prologue

Here is my fourth story of Cleo's adventures. This time, it's a full on crossover between Legend of Zelda and Book of Life. I was inspired to write this fanfic ever since I watched the movie by Jorge R. Gutierrez and fell in love with it. And I knew it would blend very well into the Zelda series in a crossover because it has a lot of elements that the game shares.

I know it's been a long time since I last posted here in this website, in fact, this fanfic should've been finished months ago. But I was forced into a long hiatus last January because I bought a laptop that happened to have a faulty hardrive. Long storty short: There were complications involving incompetent manufacturers and I had to use a rental for awhile. :(

Anyway, if this is your first time reading a story by Narutotoro, I would strongly suggest reading the other stories in chronological order before you read this one. Here is the order in which to read from: Mysterious Tavel Guide, Skribal Sword, Bermuda Triangle, and then Lands of the Dead. The Game of Chicken is an optional short story that takes place right after BT.

This fanfic is prewritten in Deviant Art and each chapter will be uploaded every few days. Then I will be uploading the bonus chapters explaining the trivia of this story.

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

Here it is, I present to you, the Legend of Zelda: the Lands of the Dead.

* * *

Prologue

"C'mon Sam, let me have my 3DS back!"

"No."

"You've had it for days!"

"So?"

"So you've borrowed it long enough! It's mine and you know it!"

"Well, it's mine now."

"No it's not!"

"Kae, when I let you borrow my kite, you wrecked it to pieces. So I'm gonna play your 3DS until I break it."

"That's not fair!"

"It is too! It's about time you learn not to mess with other people's stuff!"

"Why you-!"

The boy of seven started grabbing for his 3DS only for his year older sister to pull it out of his reach, pushing him back.

"You two better stop it back there! Unless you want me to turn around and take us right back home!" their mother scolded. Sam and Kae stopped their squabbling and just sat in the backseat of the car, sulking. "Remember, this is a museum you're going to, so you better not misbehave, _especially_ not in front of the night guard."

They were silent for five minutes, Kae shooting Sam a scathing look. Their mother pulled up at the front of the museum. The kids got out and looked up the stone steps leading to the main entrance of the white marble building.

They started up when their mother too got out. "Wait Sam, I'm gonna have to take the 3DS," her mom said. Sam huffed. "Don't you start fussing now, young lady. You know that wasn't fair to your brother."

"Fine." Sam handed her the game.

"No Kae, I'm not handing it back to you," their mother responded to her son's eager face which fell at her words. "You do still owe her an apology for the kite. In fact, neither of you will get to play any video games until you both learn to get along. Understand?" Her voice wasn't stern, but it held a fairly firm tone that told them it was not wise to argue.

"Yes mom..." they both answered in unison.

"Looks like your cousins have already arrived."

Their cousins, who were approaching the steps, were quite different from themselves. While Sam and Kae were silver haired and blonde respectively with pale beige skin, the three kids accompanying them all had red hair and bronzed skin. Two of them were twin, twelve-year-old girls while the third was a ten-year-old boy. "Hey guys!" the boy greeted.

"Tino!" Kae rushed to meet his favorite cousin, giving him a high-five.

"Kat, Hirga, you two have grown!"

"Thanks auntie!" said Kat.

"Now I want all of you to go ahead up to the museum. There is a tour guide waiting for you, listen to everything she says okay?"

"You sure you won't come with us mom?" Kae asked, a bit unsure.

"You'll be fine, sweetheart." She kissed each of her kids on the forehead. "Trust me, you're going to have a great time. I'll see you at the museum's coffee shop with your uncle."

So the five kids climbed up the steps and, sure enough, there was a woman standing at the entrance, obviously expecting them. She had long hair as red as the three cousins' and blue eyes. She looked a lot like a flight attendant. "Hello kids, and welcome to the museum! My name is Mary Beth, and I'll be your host today!" She held a sign that said "FOLLOW ME" and flipped and spun it, like a marching band baton, in a remarkable fashion. "Ready for the tour everyone?" asked Mary Beth, now holding it upright. The kids just stared in amazement and their reaction seemed like a good enough answer, so she smiled and walked ahead of them.

"Dude, was she a cheerleader once?" Tino wondered. They followed the tour guide, who suddenly took a sharp turn to the right before she even reached the front doors.

"Uh, Ma'am? Where are we going?" Hirga asked.

"We are going somewhere very special." She stopped at a brick wall and gestured to it. "After you."

"But... there's nothing there," Sam pointed out. The other kids were beginning to think this was a silly waste of time.

"Things are not _always_ as they seem. Just give it a try," Mary Beth encouraged.

They still looked doubtful, but Kae decided to give it a try and walk forward. To the others confusion, he kept walking even when he should've hit the wall. He looked around and started to grin. "Hey guys, c'mere and look at this!" He walked to one side and suddenly disappeared into the bricks. They gasped and shouted in surprise. In an instant, the optical illusion of the wall was gone. There was an opening in the brick wall in the shape of a skull and, when the kids took a closer look, there was a dark doorway to one side.

"Don't be afraid kids. You're in for a magical tour." Mary Beth coaxed them farther in until they were walking in total darkness.

"Where are we going?" asked one of the twins girls (whichever one it was, it was impossible to tell when everything was black). As their eyes were adjusting to the darkness, something lurked in the corner of their vision, casting a big shadow.

"Guys, did you see-AAAH!" Kae and all the rest screamed in fright as a sudden harsh light flashed in their faces accompanied by a roar.

The attacker laughed and they realized it was just an old security guard with a long bulbous nose. "You little tikes better not have snuck in, or you'll get it _big time!_ "

"Oh, Guicho... must you jump out and scare children every time?" Mary Beth asked him with a purr.

His expression softened when he looked at her. "Just doing my duty, protecting this place from intruders." He turned back to the children. "Another group of 'special case' kids, eh? You haven't been naughty, have you?" He eyed them suspiciously.

"Now, now. These are the kids I told you about earlier, remember?"

"You mean they're...?" He looked at them again. He smiled as his gaze stopped at Sam and Kae. "I see now. Very well then, carry on."

And they passed Guicho without another comment. Mary Beth reached a switch to light up the room and their mouths hung open in awe. The whole place was absolutely stunning and colorful. It was decorated with the architecture and designs of Aztec, Mayan, Incan, and Hispanic cultures, and also had sugar skulls, papel picado, marigolds, and ofrendas like it was the Day of the Dead. And on the wall there was painted an elaborate tree, showing images of characters between its branches. At the trunk, sat a big leather bound book with a heart at the center.

"This, you see before you, is the Tree of Life. It is the symbol of connection between all living things, even those beyond worlds."

"Beyond worlds?" Tino repeated.

"That's right. Now you may not know it, but there is more than one world. In fact, there are many. One person was fortunate enough to discover another world. And it is her story I am about to tell you." Mary Beth pointed to a painting of a girl wearing green in the very center of the tree's image. Kae raised his hand. "Yes?"

"Why is that girl wearing Link's uniform?" he asked.

"Well, I'll tell you," she replied with a soft chuckle. "Because the world she discovered is none other than the legendary Hyrule."

"No way," Sam responded. "Hyrule's from a video game. It doesn't exist."

"Well, maybe. But you know about it and have seen its wonder and heard its stories. As long as people know about it, then in some small way, it does exist. The girl was about your age when she stumbled upon that world. But we are going to a time where she has one of her adventures involving two great deities of death."

"Whoa! Deities of death? Seriously?" exclaimed Kat.

"Who are they?" asked Hirga.

"Look higher," Mary Beth now pointed at the two images above the girl on each side. "That woman is La Muerte, a goddess made of sweet candy. And the dark one there is Xibalba, a man made of tar and all the gross, icky stuff in the word."

"He looks like Discord," said Kae.

"Brony," Sam said, pointing a thumb at her brother in answer to Mary Beth's curious look.

There was a snort behind them and they turned around. Guicho was back in the semi-darkness listening. "Oh, don't mind me!" He turned around to leave them only to knock over a tall model of a building shaped like an upside down triangle topped by two serpent heads. Trying to prevent it from falling he barked "Just ignore me!" Dust hit his face and he slipped and fell, causing the model to break into pieces on top of him.

They all stared for an awkward minute, including Mary Beth. "So," she started as though there had been no interruption. "There is also a third deity right at the very top there." They finally looked at the large golden man. "The Candlemaker, he is made of wax with clouds for a beard. He creates candles that hold the life of all the people that ever lived and looks after them until they burn out and their life ends. And to observe their lives' progress, he looks into this book right here. The Book of Life.

"It is in this book where I will tell you the tale of the heroine and her great quest through both life and death itself."

The kids sat down on the floor. "This sounds like a fanfic, taking place in Hyrule. But I'm pretty excited though, aren't you?" said Kat.

Mary Beth gave them all a very warm smile. "Let's take a journey into the past... the time when the girl nearly comes of age." She opened the Book of Life and a light shined brightly from its pages... ...


	2. Chapter 1

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 1

The "For Sale" sign was hammered down in front of Cleo's ranch house. Inside, she was very busy, lugging stuff around. It was just a week ago she had graduated from high school a semester early and now the house was mostly empty except for the essential furniture, with boxes in place of the missing items. She placed another box on the counter with a heavy thud and looked in. It was full of books most important to her, science and evolution, animals and environments, economics, politics, and history of women's achievements.

She scooted over the second box on the counter to check it next. It had wall decor from her room, images of different places around the world, a few posters of her favorite movies, tv shows, games, and music bands (one of Aladdin and one of Robin Williams were usually plastered next to each other), and some drawings of her friends from her past adventures. She picked up a poster of Obama and unrolled it for a last look, she wouldn't be tacking it up again until she moved into a collage dormitory. She put it back and sat down on a chair with a huff of exhaustion, running a hand through her blonde hair.

The old travel guide of Hyrule wasn't in the box with the other books. She long ago made the decision to leave it behind along with the house. It wasn't her book after all and she knew she couldn't keep visiting Hyrule forever, she had her future to think about. Besides which, the next owner of the house, if he or she finds it in the basement, will have the chance to have a grand adventure as well.

There was the sound of a car pulling onto gravel and the screen door opening. Her father David walked into the kitchen. "I'm just done with the resignation at the department. Now all we have to do is get the rest of the packing done."

"So have you finally been promoted like they were suggesting?"

"Actually, there's been a change of plan. I've just got a call from an old friend, he said he wanted me back."

Cleo looked very surprised. "You mean the colonel you used to work for a long time ago?"

"Yeah, I've decided to go back to my old job."

"After all these years? You told me you're retired from that."

"Well, he said he needed me. Said I'm the only man he could count-"

"Doesn't he know you still have a kid? That I'm still here with you?"

"He's aware of that! He told me I won't be on a mission until next year. By then you'll already be in college."

"I'll bet he's been waiting until both Finn and I are gone!" Cleo frowned. "If I ever meet him, I'm giving him a piece of my mind!"

"I was afraid you'd take it like this..." David sighed. He decided to change the subject. "Have you decided yet where you'll be heading?"

"Dad, I told you. I'm not going anywhere yet, not until I've had word from Joseph."

"Oh right, I forgot. He's back in Mexico."

"Yes, I promised to inform him of my courses."

"What about your brother?"

"...I haven't been able to get a hold of him in awhile. Last time I talked to him, he said he's been busy, trying to meet someone."

"What, you mean like a girl?" David asked, now mildly curious.

Cleo shrugged. "I dunno, he didn't specify."

"Well, if he is, I hope he isn't up to anything funny," he said sternly.

"Oh, you're one to talk!" she snorted. She looked around her, her gray-blue eyes sweeping the whole area. "I hope I haven't forgotten anything." The instant she said "forgotten", a bouncy tune with bubble popping sounds came from her room. "That must be Joseph!" She rushed over to her computer, its monitor showing her she had a Skype message. She pressed the button and a new window popped up displaying a loading circle for a couple of seconds and then the video started. A face with silver hair and sea green eyes appeared.

"Hello? Is this thing on? Is this thing working?" He looked up. "Oh hey, um Cleo!"

"Hey Joe! How're you doing?"

"Oh, fine... uh, I'm just peachy..."

"And how are things in Mexico City?"

"Oh well, you know, the usual. But listen, there's something important I need to tell you."

"Like what, you finally grew a second wing?"

Joseph stared in what looked like disbelief, then he suddenly burst out laughing rather forcefully. "Oh right, _now_ I get it. _Hilarious!_ " He rolled his eyes. "But seriously, listen to what I've got to say."

"Okay, sorry. Fire away."

"Something weird happened at the museum here, the History Museum. There's been a break in."

"And what's so weird about it?"

"You see, the police were told of a disturbance at the museum and went to investigate, but they reported that nothing was taken. Not only that, but there was no sign that the robber forced his way in or got out afterwards. But something was definitely stolen, just not from _any_ of the exhibits known to the public."

"'Known to the public'? What are you talking about?"

"Turns out the museum doesn't show _everything._ It's got a secret room with its own hidden exhibit. And I'm not talking about a store room, I mean it's an actual exhibit and it's full of Central American legends I've never even heard of!"

"But how did _you_ find it if it's supposed to be a secret?"

"I got curious about the case and when I came to poke around after it happened, I found the entrance hidden in the walls just beside the main entrance. The room was a total wreck, the only proof that someone _was_ there. When I explored the place a little, I found something else besides unknown artifacts. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it, I thought it was impossible."

"What was it?!" Cleo asked, anxiously excited.

"It was a spell circle, a _portal_ spell circle! It's got Hylian markings and everything!"

"Get out!" Cleo gasped in utter surprise. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, I'm dead serious. I have a photo... hold on a second... ... ..." Joseph just stared at one corner of the screen.

"What is it?"

"... ...I... don't know how to send it..."

Cleo facepalmed. "You mean you don't remember?"

"Hey, give me a break, it took me forever to figure out how to even transfer the photo into the computer!"

"Put the image into a zip file, drag it onto the message box and click send." Joseph did as told and soon enough sent her the image file. She clicked it and her mouth fell open. Joseph was right, it really _was_ a spell circle, she instantly recognized the markings. "You say the robber never got in _or_ out?"

"Yes," he said, smiling, no doubt thinking exactly what she was thinking.

"The thief was from Hyrule! They came to the museum through the portal and exited the same way!"

"And now the only question is who did it and what was taken."

"That's why I'm coming down right away Joe. I'll see you soon." Cleo was about to close the video, but suddenly stopped. She grinned. "Nice whisker, by the way."

"What?" Joseph felt his face and realized he had a bit of pale stubble on one side of his upper lip. "Oh, shoot! Missed a spot!" And he quickly reached forward and the screen went black.

And as quickly as possible, Cleo packed the last of her essentials, checked and rechecked everything. "What's the rush?" her father asked.

"Joseph found something. I'm going to Mexico City."

"Wha-now?!"

"Yes, now! It's urgent! Just hold on to my belongings for me until I find a place to live. I'll give you a call."

* * *

It took Cleo overnight to get to Mexico, having to stop at a gas station for some food and a coffee. Being nearly a young adult, she was used to pulling all nighters, especially while driving. She couldn't fly there, the airports wouldn't allow her as she was carrying a sword just in case there would be trouble. She got to the city by the following afternoon. The first thing she noticed were the decorations and learned it was getting close to the Day of the Dead. She parked at the US Embassy near the statue of the Angel of Independence. There was an old guard standing at the entrance.

Cleo approached him. "Can I help you madam?" he asked formally when he looked up at her.

"I came to meet up with a friend who lives here. Joseph Newborn. I need some directions to his apartment."

"Do you know the address?"

"I do." Cleo told him what the address is, and he wrote the directions for her. "Thank you."

"Better be careful out here. Mexico City is crawling with gangs lately. You don't want to get kidnapped by one of them." The way he warned her was so ominous, she felt a little unnerved.

"...Thanks for the tip."

She drove down the street given to her, but the traffic soon became very bad. Something had happened ahead of her that caused it to stop completely and judging by the commotion, there was some kind of disturbance. Because no one on the road was moving, she decided to get out of the car in hopes of getting a better look. She grabbed her jacket.

There was a panicked cry. "Tenga cuidado con!" She saw a barricade and a clearing just past it. A man was running followed closely by a boar. Some of the police were trying to round it up, but becoming berserk it had started chasing after one of them. She hurried ahead and ducked under the barricade, afraid there was a chance they would resort to firearms. "Señora, usted no está permitido en aquí!"

The boar suddenly turned its attention to Cleo and charged at her. She had only an instant to counter and she waved her jacket at its assault as hard as she could. It was easily distracted by the sudden lash of cloth and changed direction without seeing where it was going, crashing face first into a police car. It fell over onto its side, totally dazed.

"Esa es mi jabalí!" A different man had entered the clearing. "Did you just do that?"

Cleo turned to him. "Yeah? You say this is yours?"

"Si. It is mine. It escaped!" he talked rapidly. Cleo looked him over, he was wearing a pair of gloves and an apron covered in blood. A butcher.

"Well, I can see _why_ it wanted to escape. And I can't say I blame him." She turned to the policeman in charge. "Asegúrese de encontrar un buen hogar para él. Un refugio seguro."

"Si, Señora."

"Esa es mi jabalí!" the butcher shouted again.

"If he's smart enough to escape from you, then as far as I'm concerned, he has earned the right to live."

Cleo helped get the boar into an animal trailer. The farmer pulling it said he had a sow at home and was looking forward to some piglets (she gave the boar a quick pat before he was carted away). Then she continued her drive down the now clear street.


	3. Chapter 2

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 2

But as she drove, Cleo started to wonder if she'd taken a wrong turn, perhaps read one of the signs wrong, because she found herself in a shadowy alley, a dead end. "The hell?" She looked out her window. The buildings surrounding her were not the apartment buildings Joseph lived in. She looked at the directions again to check to see if she'd read everything correctly. "This doesn't make any sense." She shifted to reverse and began to back up. "I should've just stuck to dows-"

BLAM! Cleo practically jumped out of her skin in fright as the car jerked to a stop and sagged on one side. She looked out her window. One of the rear tires was blown, but she knew the loud blast was actually from a gunshot. She hurriedly unbuckled and dove to the back seat to grab her equipment as men came and surrounded her car.

"Quédate donde estás, perra!" They were all pointing their guns at the windows. Cleo stayed low, equipping herself with her sword. Before she could get to her shield however, there was another gunshot and the sound of glass shattering. Then something was thrown in through the shattered window and the car was suddenly filling with vapor. Cleo prepared to open the door to make an escape, but was already feeling dizzy. She never even managed to get out of the car before everything went black.

The last thing she saw was the rearview mirror, reflecting another, much darker, part of the alley... And there, in the darkness was a pair of red skulls staring back at her.

* * *

 _The world was peaceful and quiet... a little_ too _quiet... then a low rumbling was heard and the ground began to shake. Forests were ripped apart... buildings crumbled... skyscrapers tumbled... people screamed as they were crushed... The very earth cracked open and sent everything falling into nothingness... And the light of the sun died away as the world tore itself apart..._

Cleo shot awake from her nightmare and found herself in a completely unfamiliar environment. She looked around her and saw she was in a concrete cell with metal bars halving the room. The only source of light was a dimly lit bulb hanging from the ceiling on the other side. She tried to get up, but realized she couldn't. Her arms were bound with shackles behind her back. Cleo yanked at them and pulled hard in hopes that they would give way from the wall or a weak link would break. The chains held. She was beginning to panic now. How was she going to get out of this?

Before she could come up with an escape plan, a prickly feeling crawled over her skin. She knew what that feeling meant and she looked around again. The cell appeared empty. The sensation increased and she knew for sure some...thing was watching her. The feeling of being watched was one thing, but what she felt from her unique mental ability of dowsing was what was _really_ worrying her. The aura she sensed didn't belong to anything natural, like it was some kind of otherworldly being. And it was _very_ close by.

As if things weren't eerie enough, she heard a voice, a voice as deep as darkness and as velvety as a black night, making the hair on Cleo's skin stand on end. _"There is no escape for you Cleo Hayster... Regardless of your strength and skill, you cannot free yourself from your bonds. You know that to be the truth..."_ Cleo stopped looking for the invisible stranger as the horrible realization sunk in. There was no escape... after surviving so many dangers, near misses, close calls, and many other ordeals that had appeared hopeless and impossible, her luck may have finally run out. _"You can't escape on your own... your only chance now is with me... I can help you, save you from your fate... You need only accept. Will you do_ whatever _it takes to be free, no matter what the cost may be?..."_

She contemplated what the mysterious voice said. His words sounded shady, insidious. She wondered if she could trust him... "What do you want in return?"

" _Quick as a whip, I see... You have a reputation in skill_ and _intelligence that I can place my confidence in... In exchange, you will offer your assistance and your loyalty to me._ "

Cleo thought hard... If there was any other alternative... Should she chance it?... "... ...All right..."

" _Done!_ " A snap of fingers was heard and a snake materialized into existence. It was a poisonous purple and had two heads, one on each end. It slithered straight toward Cleo who frantically tried to kick it away. It lashed and gave her leg a single bite. She gasped in the sharp pain and was once again feeling dizzy and blacking out. There was a faint devious rumbling chuckle.

The next time she opened her eyes, she was still in the cell, except the atmosphere looked different. There was a surreal light and feeling. She also noticed that the shackles were now very loose on her wrists and they slid off easily. Cleo automatically reached to rub her wrists but stopped. She looked at her hands and instantly felt cold and sick. Her hands were skeletal, _literally_ bones. She touched her chest and felt ribs. She felt her face and it was hard as a rock.

"No... I can't be...!"

Then she heard a door open and some footsteps. Two men were entering the cell and Cleo's first thought was how they would react when they saw her. They would surely attack her the moment they did. She instinctively grabbed her sword (thank God she still had it) and readied herself for a fight. But when the men looked in the cell, they didn't react at all, like they were not the least bit shocked at what they were seeing. They pulled out their keys.

"Odd, the chica's still out. The sedation should've worn off by now."

"She's probably playing dead. Get the drug ready just in case. She's no daisy, with that sword of hers."

What in the world were they talking about? Nothing they said made any sense. They were acting as though they didn't realize they had a stalfos for a prisoner now. Perhaps she was misunderstanding their Spanish. "Eh, perra! You make any sudden moves and we will shoot." Cleo put away her sword and lowered her hands obediently, already set for the mortal draw which they would not expect.

They approached her and when one of them got close enough, she instantly swung at him in one draw. It flew right through him like a ghost. "What?!" She swung at him again. He was virtually untouchable and didn't even flinch. He walked right past her without glancing at her and his accomplice followed suit. She turned around. "What's going on?" she demanded. They completely ignored her and they left the cell door ajar. What were they even doing?

Then she finally noticed someone sitting there against the wall, head down, pale, unmoving. Cleo, at first, thought there was another girl imprisoned in the cell with her and she somehow had never realized it. But after a second take, she once again felt a sick dread. She _knew_ that girl. It was...

"Eh, wake up! Now! We're giving your papa a call!" He shook the prisoner but she was limp. He paused, then lifted her face and pressed his fingers on her neck. Seeing that face, she knew it was Cleo herself. "Dios mío! She _is_ dead."

"So what now?!" said his accomplice.

"...Dump her. The ransom is useless now. We will not get any money for a dead person."

Cleo was shaking. The blow was too much, too unbearable. "If I find out who did this..." she spat bitterly. She watched the men unshackle her body and hoist it up. "Hey! Get your damn hand off of there!" Still unable to hear her angry threats, they carried her out of the cell. They were going to dump her body? Dump it where? She was becoming really worried now. Dead or not, she must follow them and make sure her body could be found.

They headed toward the doorway, but as she approached, Cleo was stopped by a skulltulla. It was sitting on a web blocking the doorway. Wondering how they were going to get past it, to her great astonishment she saw the men walk right through. It was a staltula, a skulltulla in the spiritual realm. They never noticed it or got blocked by it, but now _she_ couldn't get through. She took her sword out and swiped at it. Its exoskeleton was too hard.

" _Hit the red weak point..._ " Cleo started. It was that voice again. She looked at the staltula and saw a single red horizontal stripe on its back. She made a horizontal slash at it and it fell on the floor twitching and bursting into flames. After clearing away the web, she tried to follow her captors but was blocked by more staltulas. Each one had a differently angled stripe. Vertical, horizontal, diagonal, and there were a couple with just a single red dot that required a stab. Then a whole ring of staltulas dropped down to surround her and she used a spin attack to get rid of them all.

As she tried to tail the men through their hidden base, something stirring in the dark corners caught her attention. There was another one crawling on the floor. It went for Cleo and she tried to grab her shield, only to realize she didn't have it (either it was left back in her car or the gang stole it). It lunged at her and she did a backflip to avoid it. Focusing on the staltula, she leapt to the side and rolled behind it as it attacked again. She struck it, causing it to flip over, and executed the ending blow.

The men were way ahead of her once she was done. She quickened her pace. By the time she finally caught up to them, they were in a pickup truck, driving out the exit. She ran outside after it, but it was gaining speed and was soon out of her reach. It was nighttime and Cleo wondered how long she had been under sedation. Using her dowsing she pointed her sword in the direction from where her own body's aura was emanating.

As she ran down the dilapidated and littered street, she noticed there were people everywhere. But they weren't living humans, they were all skeletons, just walking around, talking, laughing, like it was a completely normal thing. Cleo stepped on a hand mirror lying on the ground and she picked it up and looked at herself. Staring back at her was a stalfos version of Cleo Hayster, with Hispanic decorations carved into her skull and in her eye sockets were dots of glowing lights for pupils.

She heard a hiss and she turned and saw the snake slithering up a ladder toward the roof of a building, toward... Cleo gasped in uneasy awe.


	4. Chapter 3

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 3

Standing menacingly above her was a tall winged silhouette. She watched him stoop down to pick up the snake which stretched out and stiffened into a staff. So this being... was the one who the voice belonged to. Then, in a flash, it zipped away out of sight. Cleo immediately started up the ladder as fast as she could and when she reached the top, she saw the imposing figure on the far side of a neighboring roof.

With anger and suspicion mounting, she looked for a means of crossing and saw planks of wood bridging the roofs. Cleo went for it and the being turned into a thin black streak and flew off as she ran across. She kept her focus on the inky stream and gave chase. She could not lose him, whoever or whatever it was, she didn't care, she was determined to catch him and beat him to the ground. She pushed a wooden box to climb onto a higher part of the roof, ran up a wall to grab the shingles, leapt and grabbed the edge of a balcony, ran through a bedroom and opened a door, crossed a hallway into another room and out on another balcony, carefully walked on a clothesline to another roof, ran to the other side and climbed back down the building, grabbing onto a flagpole, bouncing across a row of awnings and off the last onto the street with a roll.

She saw the streak go into a pried open storm drain. Cleo ran to it and reluctantly dropped down into the sewers. She continued to follow it through the tunnel and was beginning to think it was leading her somewhere. To where? A trap? But she couldn't stop now regardless, she wanted answers, salvation if possible.

Cleo noticed something small and pale scurrying... they couldn't be rats, which were normally black. A closer look and she could see white blank eyes, needle sharp teeth, and transparent skin. They were ghoul rats. A few more of them appeared and started swarming her. She swung her sword at them as they clung onto and bit her. She continued to slash at them, sometimes using a spin attack, to get rid of them all.

The black streak darted into a smaller tunnel and she crawled in after it. Soon she found a drain that lead back outside into a ditch. When she got out and took a look around for her quarry, something large fell in front of her with a plop making her jump. "JESUS!" In a couple of seconds she realized, to tremendously surprised relief that it was her body. She looked up in time to see the pickup truck driving away. Cleo bent down to examine herself when she caught a whiff of burnt tar and heard another deep chuckle.

She slowly turned around and, with widening eyes, saw the dark entity who flashed a pointy toothed grin. That grin seemed to trigger the instinct to defend herself and desire to smack it right off his face. Cleo withdrew her sword with lighting-quick reflexes and lashed out at him. He dodged her assaults with smooth motions, then used his snake staff to disarm her easily. Startled, she stumbled backward and fell next to her body. She looked up in time to see him point the staff at her menacingly with a displeased expression.

For the first time, Cleo got a good look at him and could see every detail. He was skeletal, twice as tall as a full grown man (around ten feet), with large black wings with ragged feathers. He wore a tall spiky crown made of tarnished silver ornamented with spiraling striped antlers, conquistador chest and shoulder plate armor adorned with skulls and bones, worn over a black tattered cloak that appeared to be melting into tar, and topped with black candles burning with green flames. He had a long black skull-like face with a white mustache and beard that reminded her of a scorpion, his eyes, nose socket, and mouth glowed green. The last detail she saw made her mouth hang open even wider, his green eyes had a pair of red floating skulls which acted as pupils. The very same ones that were in the alley.

"Is this how you thank me, by attacking the one who saved your life?" he said with a harrumph.

Cleo again felt a surge of burning anger. She rose to her feet, glaring at him. "Saved? SAVED?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! You just killed me! Your venomous snake bit me!"

" _Please,_ " He waved away her outburst, pulling away his staff. "One bite from my snake is not enough to kill you, only put you in a coma."

"A-a coma?!"

"It's only temporary, _if_ you take the antidote, which I have right here." The skeletal entity twirled his gloved hand and a bottle with glowing purple liquid appeared between his spidery fingers, holding it out for her to see. Cleo stared at the bottle and reached out to it, but he quickly pulled it away from her. "Ah-ah-ah! Not so fast now. I'm not just going to give it to you. If you want this, you will have to do everything I say!"

"Like hell I will!" Cleo hissed through clenched teeth.

"If that's what you think, then you can spend the rest of your life in a coma." He turned around and started to walk away (glide away actually) into the darkness.

Cleo thought quickly. If this was her only chance... "How do I know that antidote will wake me up?" He stopped and fixed her with a stony gaze. "How can I be sure I can trust you?" He raised his spiky eyebrow at her. "Yeah, I'll bet the antidote's a fake and you're just trying to trick me!"

His eyes narrowed. "You're calling me a liar?"

"What, you claim I'm wrong? Then prove it! If the antidote does work, _then_ I'll cooperate."

He seemed to ponder over her words, stroking his beard. He smirked. "... ...Very well then." He brought out the bottle and Cleo held out her hand. He placed it there and backed away.

She uncorked it and took a careful sniff. "Nothing left to lose, really." She drank it and once again felt a dizzy sensation, closing her eyes as she fell over. Suddenly feeling sore, she opened them and found herself on the ground. She got up and looked at herself with ecstasy. Cleo was back in her own body, alive and well. It was like the whole ghost-skeleton experience was only a bad dream... ...only it wasn't.

It took her a brief pause to fully contemplate her revival... and then without hesitation, shot off as fast as she could.

She didn't know or care where she was going, she wasn't paying any attention. She just wanted to get as far away from the scene and her ordeal as possible. If she was incredibly lucky, she would run into Joseph. After running long and hard until her lungs ached, she found herself in a park. Cleo looked around at the new scenery, as she tried to catch her breath.

Cleo sighed as the quiet nighttime sounds soothed her. She turned around to go rest on the nearest park bench only to see the two red skulls inches from her face. She jumped back with a scream of fright. The dark angel, or whatever he was, had appeared behind her without a sound or any other kind of warning, her dowsing didn't even pick up his aura. Bent down, he stretched back up to his fullest height, his wings spread out making him appear even bigger. She couldn't believe it, here in the non-spirit world, he was standing right in plain sight. She backed away as he slowly advanced.

"If you think you can get away from the god of death, then you're dumber than I thought." Cleo caught sight of some flowers and grass that rapidly withered and blackened as his cloak barely brushed past them. "Once you make that deal, there's no backing out, no second thoughts. You can't escape it, any more than you can escape death itself, let alone that cell you were in. You should know that if it weren't for me and my snake, you would still be trapped there." She hit a tree and he was once again up in her face. "And knowing those men, they would do far worse to you than just hold you prisoner until the ransom was paid. I did you a favor so now you are in my debt! I _own_ you!"

"And what happens if I refuse?" she couldn't stop herself from asking, trying not to sound afraid. With another evil, sharp teeth filled grin, he spun her about, grabbed her by both her arms and took off into the sky like a rocket. She was screaming nonstop, flailing in his firm grip, until they abruptly stopped. She looked down and saw they must be over a thousand feet high. "OH MY GOD! ARE YOU INSANE?! PUT ME DOWN RIGHT NOW!"

"Well, if you insist..." He held her out and, before she could shout no!, dropped her. Cleo fell, screaming her lungs out. The dark god just sat there hovering and looking at his sharp fingertips. She continued falling, thinking maybe he would catch her. He started humming "La Cucaracha" to himself. Still falling, she was rapidly approaching the ground. He pulled away the cuff of his glove to check his watch. "I think I've waited long enough." She was about to hit the ground so she covered her eyes...

...She halted. Cleo looked and saw she was only a foot from the concrete. The entity had caught her by the back of her shirt. He lifted her up and leaned forward so that his lips were close to her ear, his mustache tickling the back of her neck. It was like the prickly feeling she'd had before. When next he spoke, every syllable of his words were filled with threatening venom. "You listen and listen well, Cleo!" he whispered acidly. "If you want to live, you will obey my every command, without question and without complaint! Disobey me even once and your punishment will be dire! Is that understood?" Her heart was still pounding like mad, but now because of her returning anger. She clenched her fist, breathing hard. "Well...?" She half glanced at him in bitter defiance, but silently nodded. "Good girl." He gently put her down on her feet.

"Just what do you want, anyway?"

"Follow me and I'll show you exactly what I need you to do." Cleo looked at him. "Don't worry, it's not that far."

"Where are we going?" she asked, as they started their stroll. He didn't answer. "I still don't even know your name."

"Oh, right. How could it have slipped my mind?" He turned back to her, still moving. His arm made a gesture of a bow. "My name is Xibalba. You may call me Master. As an option of course," he added when Cleo gave him a scathing look. "I know you have a lot of questions, but I suggest you keep them to yourself. You will get your answers in due time."

Cleo sighed. She had no choice now but to obey and keep silent. Xibalba was right about one thing, hopefully she would soon find out why he needed her. And by a god's standards it must be crucial enough to have put her through this whole ordeal.


	5. Chapter 4

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 4

Dawn was approaching when Cleo and Xibalba arrived at their destination. They were standing before a white marble building with ascending stone steps. Cleo looked up at a sign telling her it was a museum, feeling a bit unsure. "I don't think it's open yet..." He ignored her statement and started climbing up the stairs. "Xibalba, you can't expect me to break in. Are you trying to get me in trouble?" She ran up two at a time after him.

But when he came to the entrance, he took a sharp right turn. Cleo stared at him. Perhaps he was leading her to a back door or something? Then he stopped in front of a stretch of brick wall. "Ladies first?"

Cleo looked from the wall to Xibalba and back, with uncertainty. "I don't see anything. Are you sure there's something... ...?" Her question died when the realization hit her. "Wait a minute... Joseph told me about a museum with a secret entrance! Is this the one he was talking about?"

With a grin he slinked sideways through the wall and disappeared. Cleo stared open-mouthed and her excitement mounted. She was actually going to the place she came all the way to Mexico City for. She walked forward and could now see the opening in the slowly rising light. "Coming?" At his command, she slipped into the opening and felt her way through the darkness, following the green glow of his candles. Xibalba flipped a switch and she was able to see the room they were in. The place was in shambles, everything was smashed and tossed about. She stooped down to pick up a wooden skeleton figure of an old matador, its head snapped clean off and fell to the floor.

She looked up at Xibalba when his shadow cast over her shoulder. "There was someone here, someone I'm sure is from Hyrule, Joseph said there was a portal here that leads to it... And you _know_ something about this, don't you? Why else would you bring me here?"

"You catch on pretty fast... Yes, the raiders were indeed from Hyrule and I know who they are. There were two of them in fact and they stole something of great value to me... the Medal of Everlasting Life."

"The Medal of...? Is it like a Franklin Badge?"

"Of a sort, I suppose. The medal, when worn, will give invincibility to any living mortal, they cannot be hurt or killed. It was kept here in the hidden room for safekeeping, away from greedy hands. But then the two invaders came through the portal and stole the medal. Your job is to track them down and get it back for me."

"If it belongs to you, why not get it back yourself? Why didn't you even prevent it from getting stolen?"

"Because, I had underestimated them. As you have yet to realize, they are much more powerful than you think, a power equal to the gods, so I couldn't chance it."

Cleo scoffed. As usual, the gods used the lazy-excuse-of-not-taking-matters-into-their-own-hands-so-the-mortals-can-do-all-the-work card. "If you're really no match for them, what makes you think I'd stand a chance?"

"Because, if I'm not mistaken, you have encountered them before individually in the past and survived. One from your first ever trip into Hyrule, the other during the time you fulfilled the Mayan prophecy."

From what he'd just said, Cleo was coming to a shocking conclusion. "Are you saying...?!"

"The two thieves are Ganondorf and Ghirahim."

Cleo looked like she'd got slapped in the face, with the aggressor being a still vivid memory of those intense encounters. Cleo still had a scar on her shoulder from one of them. "...Already, they're back? I know Ganon's the Rasputin of Hyrule, but wouldn't it be nice if he didn't return in the next eon or so?!"

"Girl, I personally knew Rasputin, so I know how stubborn that type can be trying to avoid the Land of the Cursed."

"The Land of the What?" Cleo scoffed. "Never mind! So you want me to go to Hyrule after them and steal back this medal of ever living or whatever-"

"Medal of Everlasting Life!" he corrected with a bite of impatience. "You really need to pay more attention. You're like a goldfish."

Cleo rolled her eyes. "Well it sounds simple and straightforward enough, but the thing is, I don't know where they would have gone to next. My dowsing ability is limited to memory and I've already forgotten what Ghirahim's aura felt like. If maybe I got some kind of clue, I might at least have some idea."

"Well there is one thing that might help. It's right here in the room, over there." Xibalba pointed to a large leather book with a big heart on the cover. It was the only thing left undamaged.

"What's this?"

"The Book of Life. It contains all the stories of everyone and every place that ever existed, including Ganondorf. With this, we'll be able to see exactly where to find him because it will already have been written in his pages. You'll be able to find him in no time."

"And what do I do then? If he's got a medal that makes you invincible, how am I suppose to take him down?" Of course, it probably wouldn't matter. Even without the medal, she still couldn't hurt him without the Master Sword.

"I'm sure you'll think of something by then. If you don't though, _oh well._ " Cleo gave him another scathing look as he flipped open the book and through the pages with a wave of his hand, thousands of pages fluttering rapidly which echoed throughout the room. It stopped just as suddenly... Xibalba was silent, but not the kind of silence from reading time. His face fell. "... ... ...It's blank... why is it blank!"

Cleo ducked under one of his sweeping wings to get a better look. He was half-right, only one page was blank. The left page had an illustration of Ganondorf with Syrilla impaling him with her sword and a little blond girl behind her Cleo recognized as herself, with words describing the scene. And the right contained nothing. Then upon closer inspection, she noticed torn bits of paper sticking out from between the pages.

Xibalba growled in frustration. "That bastard is much cleverer than I thought! I should have known he'd steal one of his own pages!"

"Well, it's not the first time he's pulled a jerkish move like that," Cleo sighed. "However, if he hasn't destroyed the page-"

"You can't destroy the Book of Life. You can take out the pages, like he just did, but you can't ultimately destroy any part of it."

"Well, if he still has the page with him, I can track him down. The book's still here, I can feel its aura, which means I'll be able to pinpoint the page's location with that aura. And even if he hid it away somewhere instead of keeping it, when I find it, it will tell me exactly where he is and what he and Ghirahim are doing."

Xibalba looked a her, mildly surprised. Apparently, he didn't assume she was _that_ smart. "I... didn't think of that..." He looked _almost_ impressed.

"But before I go to Hyrule, I should call Joseph and tell him what's going on."

"What?!" Xibalba barked, eyes wide. Cleo pulled out her cellphone. "No!" He snatched it right out of her hand.

"Hey! Give that back!"

"No way, José!" Then to Cleo's horror, he hung it over his mouth.

"Xibalba, don't! You! Dare!" Too late, the phone disappeared in one loud gulp. "...eat it..."

"Sorry, but your boyfriend's _not_ tagging along." Cleo's face turned red. Then she grabbed the nearest, least torn up cushion, stuffed her face into it and let out all her anger in a muffled scream of rage. After she was done, he said "Well, if you're in the mood to go, then let's first spruce you up in the proper garment for this trip."

He slammed the butt (or second head rather) of his staff on the floor with a clang and a magic flash ignited next to him. A chest appeared when the flash died. Despite her frustration, Cleo kicked it open and looked in, the contents she saw were green and red cloth. She took them out and examined them, there was a green tunic and pointed hat, and a red cape, each embroidered around the edges with the same Hispanic pattern that had been carved into her bones when she was in the spirit world. Underneath the cloth she pulled out were leather pants, boots, belts and gauntlets.

"What, no shield?"

"You can use the cape as one. Don't worry, it's been imbued with magical durability. It'll take a whole lot to make even a small tear in it."

"I'm not a bull fighter, but I guess I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. Even the mouth that just ate my cellphone," Cleo finished with a scowl. She gathered up her new clothes and walked behind a wide overturned table to use as a changing screen. "Don't you dare peek! If you do, I'll chop off your wings and mount them on my future dormitory wall."

"Right, got it," he answered impassively. Thankfully, her privacy was the one thing about her Xibalba respected. For good measure, he turned his back on her and covered his eyes. He only looked when Cleo called out "okay". He stared at her for a moment in mild regard, before responding "Eh, you don't look that horrible, I guess..."

"Gee, thanks," she said flatly.

"Now, shall we sally forth?" He led her to a wall and held his staff upright and it undulated into a living snake again. It slithered into the socket of one of the many skulls in the wall and a vertical crack formed, opening the wall. Inside was a small, empty chamber with a familiar pattern on the floor. The circular tiles looked loose and could be slid around. "Here is the spell circle that will take you to Hyrule. As soon as you find the page, bring it back here. Wait." He stopped her before she could step on the circle. "I almost forgot." He manually held one of his eyes open and it looked like he was going to take out a contact lens.

"What are you doing now? Haven't you grossed me out enough? You're worse than dad!"

Xibalba reached into his eye socket and plucked out one of the red skulls. With another smaller flash, a piece of cord formed and attached itself to the skull. "Now I may not be accompanying you during your trip, busy god with errands you know. But it's still going to be dangerous to go alone, so I suggest you take this."

"Your eye?" she asked, staring at it.

"Yes. It will act as a gossip stone, I'll be able to see and hear everything you do. And we can still communicate, so if you are ever in need of my grand wisdom, don't be afraid to ask, _nicely._ "

Cleo groaned. Just what she needed, to have an oppressive death god continue bossing her around. "Fine." She took it and tied it around her neck. Then she stepped onto the spell circle and recited the incantation. If there's one good thing about having Xibalba for a quest partner, after it was all over she would never have to see him again.


	6. Chapter 5

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 5

Cleo appeared in an open field with a canyon entrance in the distance. She looked around her and recognized the area as the Termina Province, and the nearby Ikana Canyons. She took a step when the voice of Xibalba made her jump. "Before you go anywhere-"

"Jesus! I didn't expect to hear your voice already! What is it now?"

"If you'd be so kind not to interrupt me, I'll tell you. You may very well travel far from this portal in your search for the missing page. I'm going to place a warping statue here for you." Then in a flash, a Mayan, dark stone sculpture of Xibalba appeared in front of the portal circle. "When you find the page, tell me you're ready to return to the museum. My magic will take you to the statue in an instant, regardless of how far you are from it."

"That's awfully generous of you."

"It's got nothing to do with generosity. I just don't want to wait on you trudging all the way back." Cleo made a heavy sigh. "Alright, I won't bother you anymore unless it's something important. Just do your dowsing thing and don't dawdle."

Cleo shook her head. She took out her sword and pointed around. Her dowsing always worked best when she had a long slender object to point with as it amplified her abilities. The Book of Life's aura was coming from the canyons. She realized this was going to be her third time visiting them. The first time was when she faced Ganondorf and tricked him with a fake Majora's Mask, the second time Cleo was seeking to restore the Master Sword and defeat Ghirahim. For all she knew, she might have to fight them both there if Ganon still had the page.

She started forward, running across the field. As she traveled, her mind began to wander, the last time she'd seen Ganondorf, he was killed in battle. Somehow, he'd come back to life. Nothing new about that really, he had always done it, but she couldn't help wondering how he did it this time after actually dying. Other times, he had been sealed away, imprisoned, not dead but unable to move. Also, Ganondorf was already invincible, thanks to the Triforce of Power, so why did he take the Medal of Everlasting Life if nothing would kill him except the Master Sword? Maybe that was it, he needed it to protect himself from that sword because Power wouldn't do squat. Speaking of the Triforce of Power, how _did_ Syrilla managed to kill Ganon when he had Power. Maybe he was weakened after he was exorcized from Majora?

Her musings stopped when she saw what appeared to be a ranch and she approached it.

The place had a two story house and a very large stable connected to a wide fence. She could see Ordon goats grazing in the fenced in area. As she walked by, Cleo glanced at one of the stalls and did a double take. There was an animal that caught her attention and she ran to the stall to look over the gate. "No way! Epona?" The horse looked up at her and clopped over to the gate. It had red flanks and a white mane and tail. She stroked it. "Do you remember me?"

"Weave her awone!" piped a small voice. Cleo whipped around toward the source. A tiny blond boy, no taller than her thigh, was brandishing a skinny stick. "Epona don't tawk to stwangers!"

"Well I'm no stranger. I've met Epona before."

"Pwove it!" The little toddler was swinging his stick so wildly, he lost balance and fell on his rear in the grass.

"Are you okay?" Cleo stooped down to help him up, but the boy pulled himself away from her and ran off.

"Daddy! Daddy, a stwange wady is bothewing Epona!"

"Link Jr, are you raising a false alarm about goat-stealing monsters again?" A woman walked out of a cucco pen and noticed Cleo. "Oh, I'm sorry. Is my son bothering you?"

"No, not at all. Did you say his name is Link Jr?"

"Yes why?"

"Ilia, what's going on? What's the little tike up to this time?" A blond, mustached man appeared next. Cleo stared at him.

"There's a young lady here. I just saw her petting Epona and this is the first time Epona didn't back away."

The man now looked at Cleo and he stared back. It was a moment before it clicked for both of them. Cleo smiled at the man she knew was her friend, Link Sr as he said "Small world, huh?"

* * *

Cleo was invited in for breakfast. She realized how hungry she was as she hadn't eaten in awhile. Link Jr wanted to help his mom cook the eggs, but she reminded him that he was not big enough yet and told him to go feed Epona and come right back. He returned when the food was ready and sat next to Cleo.

"Are you the weal Cweo?"

"Yes I am. Your dad told you about me?"

"Is it twue you can fight in a nightmare and win?"

"I did once, yeah. In fact, your dad helped me out. He taught me some advanced moves that helped me survive. I wouldn't be alive now if it weren't for him."

"We _all_ wouldn't be alive if it weren't for _you,_ " Ilia added, placing a plate of eggs in front of Cleo and proceeding to the rest of the table. "There's no need to be modest, dear."

"Thanks. And I'm very happy to know you and Link got married and started a family, Ilia. I'm sorry we never had a chance to meet before."

Ilia smiled at her before sitting herself down.

"Cweo, what's avance mean?"

"'Advanced' means it's very hard to do. It takes a lot of practice to do it right."

"Oh..." Link Jr picked up his fork.

"So what brings you here to Hyrule this time?" Link asked.

"Man, I don't know where to begin. It's been crazy lately... well crazi _er_. I've been forcefully dragged in to a situation by an old buzzard who-AH!" Cleo was abruptly interrupted by a painful burn on her upper chest. She slapped her hand on it in reaction and felt the skull sear hot for a moment before turning cold unusually fast.

"By who?" Ilia asked.

"Uh... nevermind. I'll just skip ahead to the important part. Link, there's something you should know. Hyrule may very well be in danger again. I was told it was GAAA!" Cleo's head was pulled hard and fast into the eggs, one of which was still a bit runny. They all stared bewilderedly at her. Cleo looked up, her face going red in embarrassment and anger. "Excuse me." Without another word, she got up and marched outside and into the stable. "What the hell is your deal?!"

"I would think, after removing your cellphone privilege, you'd know this mission is supposed to be kept just between the two of us," Xibalba's voice said. "I didn't give you permission to share it with others."

"Link is my friend! I may need his help!"

"Says who? Are you forgetting who's in charge here? I told you not to dawdle! Stopping for food and bathroom breaks is fine, but not gossip or sleepovers!"

"So you're saying he's not to be involved?"

"No he's not. And no one else besides me is to be involved either. You remember that!"

Cleo facepalmed in frustration, wiping away the runny yolk. "Fine! Just don't do that InuYasha stunt again!"

* * *

Cleo finished her breakfast and walked out to the fence. She could see the little boy trying to herd the goats. "Go on! Get in the barn! C'mon, you're supposed to come inside!" She approached him and he looked up. "That goats don't wisten to a word I say."

"You need any help?"

"Yeah, you can get the goats inside before the monsters get 'em."

"Monsters, huh?"

"Yep! They take the goats away. But mommy and daddy don't bewieve me, because monsters invisible, but I know they there. I'm going to protect them."

"The goats you mean? Is that why you have a slingshot in your belt?"

"Mm-hm!" he nodded.

Was the kid telling the truth? It did sound like they were just part of his imagination. "Can I use Epona?"

"I don't think so. Only mommy and daddy can wide her. She makes other people fwy."

Cleo laughed. "I think Epona won't mind me. Like I said, I've met her before."

"I'm glad you could help." Cleo turned around to face Link. "I'm sure Epona will let you ride her. I'll let you borrow her for this task."

"Thanks, Link." He got Epona out and Cleo mounted her. She rode her around the field a couple of times before proceeding to the chore. She herded the Ordon goats into the stable by circling them and whooping. It took about five minutes to get them all in.

"Not a bad round up. You ride Epona really well." Link patted Epona. "You still got it, don't you old girl?" Epona snorted in response.

"Can we go now?" nagged the annoyed (and annoying) voice.

"Yes Xi _boss_ a. I'm going, shut up," Cleo hissed into the skull. She turned back to Link. "I need to go now. There's something important I have to do."

"Alright. But before you go, I would like to give you something for your trip." Link lead her back inside the house, into the storage room. "See that chest there? You can have the item inside." Cleo opened the chest and took out a lantern. "It's already filled with oil. You may need it in dark places."

"Thanks." Cleo left the house. But as she was leaving the ranch, someone called out to her.

"Cleo, wait!" She turned around to see Ilia catching up to her. "Here's some goat's milk for your journey." She gave her a bottle filled with a thick white cream.

"Thank you, Ilia."

"Take care, all right?"

Cleo nodded and ran off in the direction of the Ikana Canyons. "It's about time," said Xibalba.

It was a long walk to the canyons, fighting wild beasts who got in her way as she traveled. By the time she got there, she was exhausted and her legs ached. She sat down for awhile to rest.

"You're tired already? Pathetic!"

"Give me a break, it was a two hour walk!"

"That's the problem with you mortals and your limitations. Always complaining."

Groaning, Cleo reached into her bag to take a drink of goat's milk... and she felt something stirring... something alive... Cleo quickly pulled her hand out in panic. "What the-?!" She very gingerly opened her bag wider to try and see what had gotten into her bag. She saw a coil of purple scales, then its head popped out with a loud hiss and she jumped up and screamed.


	7. Chapter 6

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 6

"XIBALBA! What is your snake doing in my bag?!"

"Gee, I was wondering were my staff went," he answered in a sarcastic tone.

"This isn't a joke! It almost bit me again!"

"Oh, hush up! I told him to go into your bag because I thought he might come in handy."

"How?"

"Well, you gotta admit, being a stalfos has its benefits. Astral projection with invisibility, no stamina loss, lighter and faster, just use your imagination."

"There's just one downside: After I leave my body, it becomes vulnerable."

"Well, there's a simple solution for that. Just find a bed to lay in before leaving your body. Anyone who finds you there will think you're sleeping."

"You make it sound like being dead is no big deal!"

"You mortals make death a big deal." Cleo scoffed at that response. "There's an old gravedigger's house nearby with a bed you can use so you can get used to that form and practice."

"Fine." Cleo walked down the road and took a detour to the graveyard. All was still and empty and quiet. She came to an old ramshackle house at the edge of the graveyard. "I wonder if anyone is still home?" She knocked. There was no answer. Cleo pushed on the door and it swung open with an eerie _creeeeeeek..._ There wasn't much inside the room, just a nightstand, a clay jug filled with cobwebs, a wax covered candle holder, a rusty bed warmer and a bed. She suddenly had a case of deja vu. She let out a heavy sigh.

"Would you like me to tuck you in?" Xibalba asked smarmily.

"I'm going on eighteen, I don't need a tuck in." Cleo laid down on the bed and covered herself with the moth eaten blankets. She heard another hiss and felt the snake slithering out of her bag.

"How about a bedtime story?"

"Just get on with it, you parselmouth!"

"Sheesh, and you thought _I_ was pushy... Go on." The snake hovered over her and bit her on the shoulder. Cleo blacked out a second later.

She regained her vision and felt lightheaded when she got up. She was once again in a slightly surrealistic version of the world. Cleo heard noises coming from outside, like some big event. She went to the door and looked behind her to see her body still laying in bed. Xibalba was right, actually. She did look like she was only sleeping. Then she opened the door, and what she saw made her jaw drop.

There were stalfi everywhere, swarming the graveyard. They were dancing around bonfires and gravestones, whooping, laughing, talking and singing. It was like a big fiesta. "Whoa..." Totally nonplussed, she walked through the now crowded graveyard looking around her. They all look so cheerful and carefree. Not a single sad face to be seen. She saw one stalfos woman rushing up to a couple's embrace in such a way that it seemed like they were long lost relatives reunited. There were stands where she bought oil for the lantern and deku nuts. Then she noticed a taller, regal ornamented, stalfos sitting crosslegged on an exotic mat, flagged by two guards.

She recognized him immediately and ran toward him. "Hey, King Ikana!"

"Eh?" The stalfos looked back at her. His guards grabbed their sword handles. "Be still!" he commanded them. He looked back at her. "No... Is that...?" Then he leaped up and laughed. "Well I'll be a crypt keeper's uncle! It's, it's... ... Uh, what is your name?" Cleo fell down face first. "Sorry, kid. I never quite caught it the last time we met."

She got back up. "Nice to see you too... It's Cleo Hayster actually." She heard Xibalba raucously laughing and she stuffed the red skull under her tunic. "Listen Ikana, I'm still kinda new to this skeletal thing. I'm hoping to learn a thing or two about fighting as a stalfos?"

"Is that so? How did you end up like this anyway?"

"Snake bite. But this is just an out-of-body experience. I'm not _dead,_ dead. I just need to learn to use this to my advantage."

"Hmm... Well, I don't really have time to teach you myself. I may be three thousand years dead, but I still have my royal duties over my subjects. But... I know someone who would gladly train you." Ikana appeared to puff up and he bellowed "Captain Keeta!" The entire gathering instantly stopped what they were doing, leaving the graveyard as spookily quiet as before. They hurriedly split apart into two groups, creating a straight, narrow path walled by rows of stalfos solders.

The solders made their salute. "Captain, sir!" Then another taller stalfos appeared with familiar headwear that indicated his captaincy. And he marched down the path toward King Ikana. "Sire!" he barked with a bow. "You summoned me?"

"At ease! This young lady here, Cleo Hayster is to be placed under your tutelage immediately! Teach her your special techniques!"

"Of course, Your Undeadness!" Captain Keeta turned to her. "If you'll just follow me. Let's find someplace quieter." He lead the way and Cleo followed him, across the graveyard, and underneath a broken stone bridge, to a hollow flat. "Alright, Cleo Hayster!" he declared. "Att _eeeeee_ ntion!" She quickly stood rigid. "Now, you want to fight like a stalfos do you, rookie?... Well do you?!"

"Sir, yes sir!" she replied hastily.

"Well then, first things first. Have you been a fighter before?"

"Yes sir!"

"And how well can you fight?"

"Sir, I have been self coaching since childhood and I was later trained with the moves of the Hero's Shade in my teen years!"

"The Hero's Shade you say? I know the guy! An old friend, he is! He had great skill, even back when he was still a living, breathing child. But let's not dwell on the past. Now that you're a stalfos, it's time to teach you some moves you couldn't do before. Are you ready for the first and most basic technique? Well, are you rookie?!" He barked again.

"Sir, yes sir!" she answered a little more loudly.

"Now, that's the spirit!" Captain Keeta laughed. "Now pay attention. This area we're in is the perfect place for this move. I call this the Gravedigger. Allow me to demonstrate." He pointed to a softer spot of ground. "First you find a place to dig and use your skeletal hands. The finger bones are hard and sharp, no stubby flesh to restrict the boring of earth or tire out your hands and cause them to ache. You must move your hands at a rapid pace. Observe!" Keeta bent down, placing his hands on the soft soil, and his arms became a blur. He pulled himself into the earth and she felt his burrowing movement underneath her feet. He popped out of the earth in a great leap. "This move I just did can be used in offence. You can catch your enemies by surprise and attack them at the same time, make sure you're underneath them before you execute it. Is that understood?"

"Yes sir!"

"Now, it's time for you to start practicing! Ready! Set!" Cleo looked around for another soft spot. "Go!" She ran to the nearest one and began digging. She was surprised at how unnaturally fast she was, even the fox form she used to transform into wasn't nearly as fast. Cleo was rather enjoying this, it was like a Bugs Bunny cartoon. And she managed to mine a few rupees during practice. Although, she did get stuck a few times on the pop out. "You'll need to work on that rookie!" Keeta pointed out, unnecessarily.

"Ya think?"

"Either that or you need to lose some pounds," said Xibalba as she pulled herself out.

"I'm just bones! If I lose anymore pounds, I'll disappear."

"Who are you talking to, rookie?" Keeta asked.

"No one sir!"

"Take five, kid! That'll be enough practice for tonight." Just then, there was the sound of faint but deep gongs from faraway. It must have been the clock tower all the way from Clock Town. "It's sundown. Now the festivities _really_ begin. You can join us if you want, or are you returning to the Land of the Remembered?"

"Sorry sir, I can't. I've got a mission to do and I'm on a tight schedule."

"Very well then. Do return here for your next lesson whenever you have time."

Cleo made a salute. "I will, sir!"

"Good luck on your mission!" he saluted back. And then he burrowed away.

"Xibalba, what _is_ the Land of the Remembered?"

"Well, I guess it is time for you to learn all about the Lands of the Dead. Now there are three different realms of existence, the first one is the Land of the Living, the realm in which you and every mortal currently reside. Compared to the other two realms, it's basic, plain... _boring._ The second one is the one right below that, it's called the Land of the Remembered. It's where most mortals go when they die."

"Why is it called the Land of the Remembered? And what do you mean 'most'?"

"I'm getting to that. If you do really good deeds, or did anything memorable in life, or just simply have loved ones, you will end up there when you die. As long as there are people who will remember you, you will remain there."

"And if I'm not remembered, what happens to me then?"

"Will you let me finish? I haven't got to that part! Unlike the simple realm you are in now, well apart from your out of body experience, the Land of the Remembered is an endless fiesta, full of color and life, despite the fact it's full of skeletons. And the churros are good too. The land has a ruler, La Santa Muerte. She is the Hispanic goddess of death."

"And this isn't it?" Cleo gestured around her.

"No, this is just a sub-realm for those who wish to stick around the earth for some reason or other, or for those who wish to visit the Living from the Remembered. You won't be able to go to the Remembered until you're _really_ dead."

"So what's the third realm?"

"That is where your interrupting question is answered. So here's a pop quiz: If there is a place called the Land of the Remembered, what would you call the one below that?... What's that? No Clue? C'mon you're smarter than that! I'll give you hint, it's the polar opposite of the second realm."

"...The Land of the Forgotten?"

"Bingo! I'd give you a cookie, but I just ate it." Xibalba snickered. "That is where you would end up if there is no one left to remember you or if you do something bad. And if you go there, once you become it's resident, you will be nothing but a hollow, empty shell with no feeling or memory. It's a cold, colorless, barren wasteland, a place worse than death."

"That's horrible!"

"Yes it is and it too has a ruler. Can you guess who that is?"

Cleo groaned. "Don't tell me!"

"That's right, it's yours truly!"

"And you're proud of that?"

"...Well, so-so. I've been asking La Muerte to switch lands with me for years, but nothing doing. She's quite a stubborn woman." Cleo thought she heard a slightly saddened sigh. "But that's enough lessons for today. Remember, we're not on a field trip."

"Right."


	8. Chapter 7

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 7

Xibalba conjured an antidote for Cleo to drink and she woke up in the gravekeeper's house. She continued her search for the page via dowsing and followed it down the rocky path to the canyon itself. After some travel, she came to a strange structure at a dead end. The structure was some kind of stone archway, with a curvy wave pattern edging the underneath, standing on a cobblestone paved square. She stepped onto the square and the dowsing suddenly stopped.

She looked around her but there was nothing else there. "What?" asked Xibalba impatiently.

"I can't continue. The trail ends here. But I don't see the page."

"That's it?! I think there's something wrong with your dowsing thingy!"

"Oh, hush up! I probably can't see it because it's getting dark out. I'll just get out my lantern." Cleo took it out and lowered it to the cobblestones in search for it. But as the light hit the ground, she noticed the various stones were in different colors and they were in some kind of pattern. "Hold on... I think I found something!" She held the lantern up high to widen the light on the square and she could now see images. In the center were people with heads for bodies and long arms and legs. On the edges, surrounding the people were black beasts with fangs and claws. "Huh..."

"Yeah, it's a mosaic. So what?"

"The four giants..."

"What?"

"These are the four giants of Termina. I met them before on my first ever trip into Hyrule. But I don't know what these beasts are."

"Well I do. They're supposed to be jaguars if I'm not mistaken."

"Jaguars?"

"There's a story behind this image you see below you. Long before there was Hyrule or Earth, there used to be a world inhabited by giants. But one day, their world came to an end when the jaguars appeared from the darkness an devoured them all."

"No way! Jaguars did that?"

"They weren't ordinary ones from the Amazon. They were demons from what you mortals call Hell. These giants of Termina are actually what was left of that very first Realm of the Sun."

"Realm of the Sun?"

"That's just a fancy term for a world that mortals live in. I mean c'mon, are you an echo?"

"So does this image mean anything? Does it have anything to do with the current situation?"

"How should I know?"

"You're hopeless..." She looked at the image again and had a sudden feeling of sorrow. The giants, SK's dearest friends, had a world of their own and probably a family, and they were the last survivors after the genocide, they lost everything. Cleo had _no_ idea they had such a tragic origin, it was even sadder that one of the four once fell protecting SK. "They'll know something... This image must be a clue... If I can summon one of them, they might hold the answer."

"Right, summon a giant... Remind me how you do it."

"The Oath to Order. I need to play music, but I need an instrument of some kind."

"Why, are you actually a terrible singer?"

"Xibalba, be serious! Where am I supposed to get a musical instrument?" There was a long pause. "Are you even still there?"

"... ...I just thought of something... Listen Cleo, I actually won't be available for communication for awhile. You wait right here while I try and run a quick errand."

"What?! You're just gonna leave me hanging? How long are you gonna be gone?... Xibalba!" But there was no more answer from him. "Fine, whatever! I'm going back to the ranch."

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Cleo was lying on a bed in the spare bedroom after returning and asking Link if she could spend the night. She couldn't sleep, she was again wondering about her mission, and what Xibalba had told her. Ganondorf and Ghirahim were at large according to him and she had yet to find a sign of either of them. Now that she thought about it, she began to wonder if what he said was even true. Are they really out there? She hadn't encountered anything troubling in Hyrule so far _and_ had run into a dead end. She knew from the start that he wasn't very trustworthy by the way he acted, in fact Cleo was now starting to think that maybe he was tricking her again into going down a false trail.

Then she heard something from just outside her window. The squeak of a door hinge and a quiet click. She got up and went to the window to see if it was Link Sr. or Ilia, but it was neither, it was Link Jr. going outside in the dead of night while his parents were asleep. "What are you up to you little squirt?" She watched him unlock the barn door, standing on his toes to reach the lock, and close it behind him.

Cleo was about to turn and leave the room after the kid, when something else caught her attention. She opened the window and leaned out to see what else was out there, because she saw a light in the distance and she knew it couldn't be daylight approaching, it was still way too early. The light was small and zipping around for a moment before disappearing. She didn't see anything else after that, yet she felt worried for some reason. Somehow she could sense an unnatural shift in the air like a change in temperature. Something was wrong, she knew it, whatever it was out there, it was causing the strange disturbance.

"Are you telling the truth? Is there really something evil out there?"

 _They take the goats away. But mommy and daddy don't bewieve me, because monsters invisible, but I know they there._

Cleo turned quick as a whip and ran to her equipment. She put it on and hurriedly rummaged through her bag. "C'mon, where are you!" She heard a hiss and reached for the source, pulling it out. The snake flailed in irritation as she sat on the bed with it. "Hold still! I need you to bite me, now!" But it wasn't cooperating, apparently neither of its heads were in the mood. She quickly gave it a smooth stroke down (or up) its body, calming it. "Now bite." It twisted around and bit her wrist. Cleo limply flopped down. Then she got back off the bed and headed towards the door. She heard a loud THUD behind her and looked back. "Doh!" She facepalmed. Her body had fallen to the floor. The snake seemed to read her mind, one head grabbed a blanket while the other slithered over her body, dragging the blanket. "Oh, thanks!"

Cleo raced out of the house as fast as she could. Once outside, she saw "them"... surrounding the ranch... Otherworldly beings that didn't have a name nor a classification. They were floating, hunched silhouettes with glowing eyes. But Cleo knew about "them", they'd come before in the Termina Provence a long time ago. And she knew why they were here.

She charged at "them" and slashed down the nearest one. She proceeded to the rest of the front line that circled the stable as they slowly advanced. They were mostly just focused on the barn, trying to reach it with sinister intentions before they were cut down by her blade. Sometimes she also used the Gravedigger to cut them off. But as their number steadily thinned, they began to get aggressive. Cleo knew they were now turning their attention to her when she saw their eyes turn red. They began to attack her with mantis claws but she fought back just as fiercely.

"What are you're doing, kid?" shouted a voice she knew all too well.

"I'm a little busy right now, Xi-" Cleo got smacked down by one of "them".

"What is going on?" said another male voice she didn't recognize.

"Wait, who's that?"

"Someone you should be meeting right about now if you weren't up to your neck in extraterrestrials!"

"It's kinda hard to fight without a shield!" Cleo snapped.

"Use your cape you idiot!"

"I'm _not_ an idiot and I'm not a matador!"

"Pardon me señorita, but I once happened to be a matador," the second voice spoke up.

"Wha-" She narrowly dodged another swipe. "Tell me what to do!"

"Okay listen up! Get out your cape! Hold it out!" Cleo pulled it off her. "Stay behind it, try to keep "them" focused on the cape, wave it and taunt!" Cleo began shouting at "them". "Now watch your opponents carefully, don't make a move until they're about to attack. Wait it out!" One of "them" approached her and raised its claws. She pulled away as it swiped, spun around behind it and countered.

"I got it!"

"Bravo! Excelente!"

Cleo continued to fight "them" off with this new tactic, but they just kept on coming. Her bony body was clawed up so much, she wasn't sure she would last much longer even in the spirit realm. But as the sky started turning from black to gray, they were beginning to fade. And the moment a spot of gold appeared on the horizon, there was no longer a visible or physical trace of them.

Worn out from the battle, she collapsed. She heard muffled voices and opened her eyes, seeing two blurry figures, one dark and towering, the other shorter and pale. Cleo pushed herself up and shook her head. "Are you alright, miss Cleo Hayster," asked the pale one, extending a bony hand. Her vision cleared, she could now see it was a stalfos bullfighter.

She grabbed his hand and got up. "Thanks. So who are you and how do you know my name?"

"Oh, my name is Manolo Sanchez. Xibalba told me about you and about your important mission."

Cleo turned to Xibalba. "You just told a random old-time bullfighter everything, Mr. Keep-this-mission-just-between-the-two-of-us?"

"If you want my help, you should know well not to lecture me! And another thing, I didn't give you permission to use my snake again!"

"Since when?! How many ridiculous rules do you have?!"

"You really should watch your mouth!" Xibalba was once again up in her face. Cleo didn't back down.

"Now now, let's not-" Manolo started.

"Both the goats and the kid were in trouble. You expect me to ignore that?"

"I expect you to stick to the mission and nothing else. No sidequests!"

"So that's another stupid rule!"

"And here's another one! No more backtalk! If I hear one more outburst from you, then so help me-"

"SILENCIO!" Both Cleo and Xibalba stopped arguing and looked at Manolo. "Sorry... So... you say you're looking for a musical instrument? Because I have one."

"Really?"

"Here." Manolo pulled out his guitar and handed it to Cleo. "It must be important, so I will let you borrow it."

Cleo took the worn wooden guitar in her hand. She saw words etched onto the side. _Always play from the heart - Maria._ "Who's this?"

"My wife. She made it for me when we were little kids."

Cleo chuckled. "Little kids?... ! The kid! I forgot about him!" Cleo ran to the barn. "I'll just be a second!" Once inside, she looked around for him. She wondered why he hadn't come back out. He must've dozed off trying to protect the goats. But instead of finding him, she found an abandoned slingshot and a note pinned to the wall by a diamond shaped dagger, which she recognized with a sinking heart. "No..."


	9. Chapter 8

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 8

 _To the father: If you wish to see your son again you will come to the Temple of the Giants in the Ikana Canyon. Come by sundown or forfeit him forever in the grave. Ghirahim, loyal servant to Ganondorf._

Cleo stared at the note, feeling numb. She sunk to her knees hating herself. How could she let this happen? Link Jr. was nearby and she didn't do anything to prevent it.

Xibalba appeared in the barn followed by Manolo. "You said a second! It's been more than a minute!... Are you even listening?"

"What is wrong, Cleo?" Manolo asked soothingly. Cleo silently handed him the paper. His eye sockets widened as he read it. "Oh no..."

"Let me see." Xibalba grabbed it from him and read it himself. "Oh, is that what happened?"

"Xibalba, I'm going to the Temple of the Giants," Cleo said urgently, standing up.

"Not this sentimental distraction again! Haven't you wasted enough time running someone else's errand?"

Cleo glared at him. "The kid is going to die!"

"That's not my problem."

"How could you think that?!"

"I'm the god of _death!_ What do you expect? Mortals die all the time, even children. You can't save everyone, Cleo."

"I know that! But it doesn't mean it's too late for one child. You're just being cruel!"

"I'm being _realistic!_ " Cleo turned away. "You may not like it, but right now you can't do anything for the kid when something far more crucial is at stake." She shut her eyes tight. "We need to get that page and stop Ganondorf." Her bones were shaking, faster and faster with each word. "And we are doing it right now!"

Finally, Cleo couldn't take it anymore. Her anger had reached boiling point and it was about to explode. " _ **NO!**_ " She screamed so loud in his face that Xibalba actually jumped back in shock. "I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE! I AM NOT DOING ANYTHING YOU SAY ANYMORE! I'M SAVING THAT CHILD AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO STOP ME!" Xibalba stood gaping at her. She snapped the cord with the red skull off her neck. "You can take this back!" She threw it at him and it stuck on his forehead as he continued to stare at her, completely speechless. Then she picked up the slingshot and stormed out.

Xibalba pulled his eye off him and finally looked at Manolo, who looked back with great disapproval. "What?!"

"Sometimes I wonder what La Muerte sees in you at all," he said, shaking his head. He turned to follow suit.

"... ...La Muerte is under a curse, Manolo." He turned back at Xibalba's words. "You think the Medal of Everlasting Life is the only thing that matters? It's not Cleo's only objective, that's why I'm putting her through this. La Muerte is everything to me. I will stop at nothing until she is restored."

"Did you tell Cleo that?"

"...I was planning to later... when it's convenient..." Manolo turned to go again when Xibalba said "Wait... give this to Cleo." He conjured a vial of purple liquid and gave it to him. "It'll wake her up."

After taking it, Manolo caught up with Cleo. "Here, you'll need this."

"Thanks."

"Listen, if you're not too busy later, I need a favor."

"What is it, Manolo?"

"Just recently, a few of my ancestors have disappeared. I haven't seen them in days, even my father is gone. I was hoping you could help me find them."

"Huh, that's so odd... I wonder if it's part of the whole mysterious conspiracy that's been going on, with the kidnapping and all that?"

"I don't know. It's not very likely, but I am worried."

"Well, I'll try to find them. I'll look them up on ancestry dot com, that is if I can get that tar pit to cough up my cellphone."

"Well, just focus on saving the child."

"Adiós." Cleo took her antidote and found herself on the floor of her room.

* * *

Before Link or Ilia could wake up, Cleo had left her own message on the back of the note to tell them that she had gone to rescue their child and not to worry. Then she hurried to the Ikana Canyon to find the Temple of the Giants. Her dowsing for Link Jr.'s aura lead her down the same path as before, ending in the same spot underneath the archway. "So _that's_ the temple... Well Xibalba, I hope you're happy."

Cleo brought out the guitar and played the first three notes of the Oath to Order, but stopped at a cord that was off-key. She adjusted one of the nobs and started again. The music she played seemed to travel far across the canyons. It was like the walls and pathways were designed to carry the song far enough for anyone miles away to hear it. As she strummed the cords, she heard a booming roar call out as though in answer. The roar was in sync with her strumming. Cleo stopped and looked toward the sound and saw something rising out of the rocky cliff.

A giant was breaking free of the wall with a loud earth shattering _CRACK!_ and a deafening tumble of rocks and boulders. Once disentangled from the rubble, it marched toward the square where Cleo was. She quickly backed away before it reached the archway. Cleo watched as the giant reached down and grasped the archway with both hands, then started pulling with all its might. The ground shook as the square rose out of the earth and something big was being pulled with it. A stone building with an opening was revealed. ( _Zelda chime_ )

"Well, that was impressive."

Cleo jumped and turned around. "Xibalba, _please_ don't do that!"

"Do what?" he asked with a smirk.

She groaned and looked back up at the Giant. "Thank you!"

It slowly blinked at her and then marched away. Cleo ran inside the building and gave a sharp gasp when she saw little Link Jr. lying on a wide stone pedestal, pale and eyes closed. She bolted to him and picked him up. "Oh, God! He's cold as ice..." Cleo pressed her ear to his chest. For a sick moment she could hear nothing, but then... a faint thump. Xibalba entered and looked over her shoulder in curiosity. "His heart rate is very low... He's not waking up." Cleo looked at his face. He was still alive, but he might not be for long.

"We may already be too late," Xibalba said bluntly.

"I need your snake again," she requested.

"Cleo-"

" _Look_ at him!" Cleo was close to tears. "I don't want him to die. Let me use the snake again so I can save him. If you let me, then I won't disobey you again... _Please,_ Xibalba..."

The god of death let out a long sigh. "...Very well..." He tapped his staff and it once again came to life. Cleo put the child down and laid herself on the pedestal next to him. "One more thing." Xibalba handed her his eye. "You still need this." Cleo tied it around her neck as the snake slithered up and bit her.

She opened her eyes and found herself in total darkness. She took out her lantern and realized the exit was gone, she was sealed inside. She got off the pedestal and poked around in the darkness until she found torches to light. Once the room was bright enough, Cleo could now see a new opening, one that wasn't there before she was bitten.

"Yeah, I'm noticing it too," said Xibalba's voice. "Strange place... It seems you can only go deeper in this temple in the Land of the Dead. I don't see a little stalchild though. Obvious where you got to go."

She walked down the stairs into the main chamber where huge statues of the four giants stood in a row. In between them was a door with a combination lock. In the center of the chamber was a stone slab with writing on it. Cleo stepped up to it and read.

We the four guardians can open the way

If you bring the light that is scattered astray

Give us each light in an order we choose

Unless your soul you are willing to lose

The green light must be brought between mountain and sea

On canyon's right bring red to me

Swamp and ocean go hand in hand

You must discover where blue must stand

The canyon is always at the edge

Yellow is what will rest on the ledge

Once all light is delivered to us

You may proceed forward without a fuss

After reading this riddle a few times, Cleo began exploring the rest of the temple. As she delved deeper, the place got darker. Being a stalfos did not give her night vision and she had staltulas, staldras, and other not-so-friendly stalfi to deal with. She lit a few torches to conserve her oil. There were crystal switches that opened doors, some of them out of reach requiring the slingshot. Also boulders blocking the path could only be cleared with bomb flowers that would detonate shortly after being picked. Then she encountered a new obstacle in her way, a black smog in some of the rooms that prohibited the use of her lantern, which she discovered after she almost blew up the room. The smog was also capable of causing her bones to slowly corrode, causing damage. She used the Gravedigger to get past it. After encountering and defeating a stalmaster, she got a new item: the deku fan. She could now use it to blow away the smog, clearing the path for the colored flames she found. She carried each flame individually in her lantern up to the second floor where she could reach the giant statues' hands. Cleo had to hurry to them along a winding path before the fire went out, or she'd have to start over. Then she had to light the torches in the riddle's order.

Once the flames were properly placed the slab slid aside and a colorful chest rose up. From the chest Cleo obtained a smaller rock slab with a row of ancient symbols on it and she hurried to the locked door to use the code and open the door.

The room was wide and spacious. There didn't seemed to be anything there until she heard a roar. Cleo knew that wasn't the roar of a giant, but something much different. New smog billowed into the room and surrounded her. She saw a pair of glowing eyes and a large, dark feline beast emerged from the smoke, baring fangs. It let out another fearsome roar.

 **The Jaguar King:**  
 **Tezcatlipoca**

* * *

Author's note: I think it's stupid that names of websites would be rejected. Apparently, it didn't occur to them that characters in fiction can talk about websites.


	10. Chapter 9

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 9

The beast charged at her and she leapt aside. It spun on a dime and slashed at her. Cleo scrambled up and backed away as Tezcatlipoca spewed smog out of its mouth. She took out the deku fan and blew away the smog. Some of it blew back in its face, blinding it. Before she could make another move, it sucked the smog back into its mouth, its throat glowing white hot, and spat out a fire ball at her. She covered herself under the cape just in time. She needed to think of a new strategy fast... or maybe use the same strategy, only to _her_ advantage. Cleo waved the cape at it, taunting it. The monster spat more smog and she blew it back in its face again, then quickly took out the slingshot and some deku nuts. As Tezcatlipoca sucked in the flammable gas, she shot a deku nut straight into its maw. With its throat blocked, the fireball exploded inside it, stunning it. Cleo rushed in to slash away at it. After it recovered, its eyes lit up and four jaguars separated from each other. Now she had to figure out which one was real, making this much harder. Several tries without success, blowing smoke in their faces and trying to shoot at illusions only to get a fireball in the back. Then she used her dowsing to find the right jaguar and was able to strike it down. After it fell stunned, she used the finishing blow.

It shrieked in pain and staggered up only to fall back down on its stomach. Then white, glowing smoke appeared to seep out of its hide and, in a soft flash, its body took a new shape. The beast-like creature changed into a more human-like appearance, a huge hulking stalfos wearing jaguar hide over a matador uniform. There was a moan.

"What in the world?!" Xibalba exclaimed. "What is Carmelo Sanchez doing here?!"

"Wait, did you say he's a Sanchez?"

"Yes, he-Cleo look out!"

Cleo looked up too late. Whatever it was she needed to "look out" for had already hit her so fast, she couldn't even tell what it was other than it was white and glowing. She was knocked clean off her feet from the force of the hit and time seemed to have slowed down. Cleo felt a familiar sensation of some apparition seeping into her and taking root in her heart and mind.

 _The ground began to shake... Forests ripped apart... buildings and skyscrapers toppled... sounds of people screaming and loud crashing of rocks... The world tore itself apart and the light of the sun died..._

Cleo gasped, her eyes opened and darted about. She got up quickly, panting hard, and felt herself. There was no pain, no sign of damage other than clawmarks from her fight, no... strange changes or the feeling she'd just had. It was like the sudden attack never happened. "...What was that, Xibalba?"

"Uhh... I'm not really sure... Huh..." he answered, stumped.

There was another moan from the big stalfos and he finally regained consciousness. He looked around. "Wha... Where is this?" he asked to no one in particular. "Was I drinking too much?" Cleo ran over to him and helped him up. "Ohh... Thank you little lady!" He looked around again. "Is this where you live?"

"...No. This is the Temple of the Giants."

"Uhhhhh... Temple of Giant? What's that?"

"Don't you remember anything?"

He shook his head. "Nope!"

"Your name is Carmelo Sanchez, is that right?"

"Oh yeah... Carmelo is famous for fighting bull with out a ca-"

"Yeah, sorry. I don't really have time for your bullfighting stories. Plus, it's a barbaric sport in my opinion. I don't approve of killing animals for fun."

Xibalba chuckled. "Well, this sugar 'n spice has got some bitter wormwood added to it," he said with impressed amusement.

Carmelo was silent for a moment and scratched his head. "Uh... you sound like little Sanchez... Manolo don't like bullfighting too."

"Listen, your descendent Manolo said you and the other ancestors are missing," said Cleo. "You need to go back to the Land of the Remembered. I'm going to try and find the rest of your relatives."

"Oh, okay. I can do that! Gracias!"

"De nada." But then she added to Xibalba "But first I'll go get the kid and the page." Cleo hurried to the door on the other side. To her great relief, the first thing she saw upon entering was a little stalchild crouching in a corner next to a small chest. "You're okay!"

He looked up at her and his sockets widened. "Cweo? Is that you?" He stood up and ran right into her, as she knelt down, hugging her. "I was scared!" he sobbed. "I was twying to protect goats when a pale man came and took me away! I fainted and found mysewf in a cave! I can't find home or my mommy and daddy!"

"It's okay... you're safe... I'm taking you home right now." She stood up. "Xibalba, I need your antidote!" The red skull immediately snapped itself off the cord around her neck in a zipping black streak, hit the ground, and the death god rose out of the ground, his wings spread out. Link Jr.'s sockets got, if possible, even wider and he quickly buried his face in her chest, whimpering. "It's okay, he's not gonna eat you or anything. He's really just all bark and no bite."

Xibalba rolled his red skulls. "Gee, thanks for discrediting my reputation." He twirled his hand and a vial appeared as usual.

Cleo took it from him. "Here, drink this. It'll help you wake up from this nightmare. I'll be with you again shortly."

"What are you doing?" Link Jr. asked.

"I just need to find a piece of paper."

"But... there's a piece of paper in here." He pointed to the chest.

"Thank you. Now drink." The kid looked at the antidote reluctantly. "I don't wike this stuff." But he took a sip and grimaced. He started to look sleepy. "Bye-bye Cweo. Bye-bye scawy man." And he faded away.

"Goodbye yourself you brat," Xibalba scoffed. Cleo shot him a dirty look. "What? I just don't like kids!" Cleo turned her back on him to open the chest. At last, she had accomplished her mission. Once she received the missing page and returned it to the Book of Life, she would finally learn of Ganondorf's plan and whereabouts. She pried the lid open, reached in, and finally got... ... ...one full quarter of the page... Both Cleo and Xibalba stared dumbly at it. "What?! That's it?!" He snatched it from her hand and glared at it. "Only one quarter?!"

"Yeah, somehow I knew it was far from over. We only went though _one_ dungeon."

Xibalba scowled in frustration. "That's just perfect!" _Sorry Mi Amor, you'll have to wait a little while longer,_ he added to himself. He conjured another vial. "Just take it!" Then he zipped back onto the cord without another word. Cleo had a feeling he was too upset to talk, which was fine with her. She drank the antidote.

* * *

Deep inside the Temple of Hira, a temple long abandoned in the lifeless mountainside until very recently, a man sat on his new throne in the shadows. His eyes were closed in deep meditation, all was eerily silent except for the faint crackle of a few torches, their flames small enough for the room to be in semi-darkness with only thin lights dancing on the cold walls. Then a new sound was heard, the sound of a digital chime. Ganondorf opened his eyes to see another man made of black crystal-like metal, kneeling before him on the spot that was previously empty a second ago.

"So Ghirahim... by your return, I'd say your task is a success?" asked Ganon.

"Master, I have done what you asked. I have taken the child and used him as bait. It worked out quite beautifully, like a moth to the flame. The first stage of our plan has been set in motion."

Ganondorf let out a dark chuckle. "Good... With Link's dread to our advantage, it's just a matter of time before he'll do everything he can to find out my whereabouts and come straight to me in order to avenge his son."

"Indeed... except there's one... teeny... tiny... thing... you should know."

Ganon's grin fell. "Go on..."

Ghirahim rose from his kneeling position. "A while ago, someone _did_ enter the temple in the desperate hope of finding the child... but it wasn't Link."

"It wasn't him? Are you quite _sure?_ "

"Yes, master... I saw her with my own eyes."

" _Her?_ " he growled.

"Correct. Although she wears the same green attire of the hero, there was no mistaking that... that..." Ghirahim suddenly went into a raging fit. "THAT SAUCY, POMPOUS, CONNIVING, DISGUSTINGLY COMPASSIONATE, HUMAN AVATAR OF FI!" His scream of rage echoed throughout the tower. And in an instant, he was perfectly calm again and, in a voice that made it seem like he'd never lost his temper, he added "Also known as Cleo."

Ganon, who had been leaning on one of the armrests, sat up straighter, his eyes widened. He vividly remembered towering over a little blonde girl who didn't back down, whose travel guide he had stolen a long time ago. "Did you not see anyone else, what about that entity?"

"Yes, My Master. The dark deity of nothingness after death is with her."

"Then we haven't a worry. Without him, Cleo cannot get far. His desperation _would_ force him to turn to a human for help. We just miscalculated as to who he would choose for a champion."

"Indeed." As Ghirahim answered, there was an angry growl followed by loud rattling of chains coming from a neighboring room. "My, my! Our new friend is getting impatient," he said with an evil smirk. "Seems an awful shame to keep him cooped up here."

Ganondorf stood up from his throne and walked into the room. Inside, hidden in shadow, was an enormous dark stalfos. " **You set me free right NOW!** " he bellowed in a voice even more rough and gravelly than Ganon's. " **You said I would be free again if I helped you!** "

"And you shall... I have one more task for you." Ganondorf pulled a shining, green, heart-shaped medal from his armor. The huge beast became even more restless, pulling at his chains, his empty sockets staring at the medal with greedy longing. Ganon pinned the medal on him and immediately, flesh began to form.


	11. Chapter 10

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

[WARNING: This chapter will be tragic, use digression]

* * *

Chapter 10

"Cweo... Awe you awake yet?" Cleo saw Link Jr. as he pried open her eyelid when she gained consciousness. She grinned and sat up on the pedestal. "Cweo... was it weawy just a dweam?"

"Depends on how you look at it." She slid off and took his hand. "Time to go home." Cleo and Link Jr. walked outside and saw the twilight of dusk. She had rescued him just in the nick of time. Cleo heard distant clopping of hooves and looked toward the sound to see someone heading their way on horseback. "I think that's your dad!"

"Daddy!" The kid ran off after the rider.

He dismounted and ran just as hurriedly toward his child. "Son!"

"Dad!" he crashed right into his father. He was lifted off his feet and squealed in laughter.

"You're alright!... You're alright!... oh Farore!"

As Link and his son embraced, Cleo suddenly had a feeling, once again, of being watched. She looked around her for a moment, but couldn't see anyone. She shrugged off the feeling, thinking it was nothing. But someone _was_ watching the three people from the top of a canyon wall. A man with wild tribal adornments had been crouching undetected, looking most attentively at Cleo with a hard stare, before slinking away.

She approached Link Sr. "You saved my son... thank you..." He said, looking like he was trying his best not to cry.

"Listen... I can't stay here any longer. My presence is putting your whole family in danger... You see... its kinda my fault your son got kidn-"

"You don't know that!" he said firmly, almost scoldingly. "That message was addressed to me. You had _nothing_ to do with it! You just... took my place... You felt like you had to take all the burden and hardship and never asked for help... It was a bit selfish really..."

Now Cleo felt even worse. "It's not that I'm trying to take your place, it's just that someone is making me-" She hissed through clenched teeth. The red skull was burning again and she slapped it. " _Stop it already!_ "

"Is something wrong?" Link asked.

"Nothing, just a second..." She walked away a bit and whispered "Okay, no more secrets. He needs to know the truth _now!_ "

"And I shouldn't mind _because?_ " asked Xibalba.

"Because Link has a point... I may need his help."

"I'm not even gonna argue with you. I'm just not in the mood. But no more mushy stuff." Cleo sighed heavily.

"So who are you talking to?" Cleo looked up at Link. "Don't give me that look, I know you're too old to be talking to an imaginary friend."

"Hey!" Link Jr. piped.

"Sorry kiddo."

"Don't worry Link, I can explain everything now. On the way home if you want," she confirmed.

"I had a feeling _some_ thing was going on. You really do owe me an explanation." Link placed his son on Epona. "I really am thankful to you for saving my son. I'm sorry for scolding you. I know you're only trying to help."

"That's okay. I should've let you come. I'm sorry too."

"I think I'm going to hurl," Xibalba groaned.

* * *

By the time they were almost to the ranch, Cleo had told Link everything that had happened so far. His son was tuckered out and napping in front of him.

"So Ganondorf has the Medal of What now?"

"Medal of Everlasting Life. It's a badge that makes the person invincible. Even if you go get the Master Sword, it won't do you any good."

"Then how are we to stop him after we discover his location from this missing page?"

"We'll figure something out. Let's just get your son home... Poor lil guy. He's out of it." Link gasped and pulled on the reins, making Epona halt abruptly. "Link, what is it?"

Link just stared. Cleo looked past him and saw thick plumes of black smoke ahead. She gaped at it and felt like her heart had stopped. "No..." Both the house and stable were on fire. He leapt off Epona. "Cleo, look after him! Keep him safe!"

"Be careful, Link!"

Then he raced toward the fire, along the walkway between the buildings. He couldn't see Ilia anywhere. "Ilia! Ilia, where are you!?" He couldn't hear anything other than the roaring flames. "Ilia!" Link shouted as loud as he could, but he wasn't sure she could hear him. He feared the worst.

"Link!" He looked about and saw Ilia. He ran to her. "Link, you're back! Our son! Did you find him?!"

"Yes! He's fine! Cleo found him, he's alright!"

"Thank gods!"

"Ilia, we need to leave!"

"Link, listen! There's-" Then they saw something, someone huge and bulky and vicious coming out of the flames.

"Ilia, get out of here!" Link readied himself.

Cleo waited without a clue as to what was going on. "I can't just sit here!" Cleo dismounted. "Epona, can I count on you to keep the kid safe?" Epona snorted, a positive response that clearly meant "Don't worry, I will."

She hurried after Link. "Link?! Ilia?!" Then she heard a terrible grunt of pain. Link sounded like he was in trouble. "Link!"

And she spotted him thirty feet away, battered and bloodied, kneeling at the feet of a beast-like man armed with two jagged machetes. "NO!" both Cleo and Ilia screamed at the same time. Ilia, who was by Link's side came to his aid first before Cleo could, standing between him and the attacker. "LEAVE HIM ALONE, YOU MONSTER!"

"Ilia! No!" Link rose and pulled her away from the next attack. It all happened in an instant. He was struck in the chest with the machete and crumpled to the ground.

Thunder began to rumble overhead.

The brute was about to finish him when Cleo rushed in with a rageful squall and blocked his assault. She was pinned down by the twin machetes, but she felt a strange feral power inside her that wasn't there before. And against all odds for a seventeen-year-old girl, Cleo dug deep and unleashed a powerful counter that disarmed him of one of his weapons.

He looked at her astonished. His eyes, full of hatred, narrowed. " **You... You are Hayster!** "

"Who are you!? Did Ganondorf send you to kill me?!"

" **I am Chakal!** **And I am here for him** _ **not**_ **you!** "

"You will not lay a hand on him!"

He let out a callous laugh. " **And what are** _ **you**_ **gonna do about it, little chica?** " Cleo readied herself for a fight. Then the red skull shot off the cord and in a green burst of flame, Xibalba appeared as a flash of lightning shot across the sky, creating a loud crack of thunder.

" _Not_ today, Chakal!"

Chakal staggered back. He growled. " **You are lucky, Cleo Hayster. Next time, Xibalba may not let you cower behind him like a child. And I will not be so merciful...** " He disappeared into the smoke.

Rain started to fall and the flames steadily died away. "I didn't need your help, Xibalba!"

"Cleo, if Link was no match for him, you certainly aren't."

Before she could protest further, she heard a cry of despair. "No... no!... Please no! Please don't!... Please stay with me!..." And Cleo knew in a heartwrenching moment what it must mean.

She turned around and saw Link lying limply and forlornly on the ground, Ilia holding him up. Blood, suffused by the rain, heavily soaked his shirt. Cleo rushed to him and tried to cover the wound with her cape. She pressed it down. "C'mon, Link... Link please, look at us! Look at us!"

His eyes fluttered open. "I... I couldn't... hurt him... I..."

"Link, don't talk... Just hang on... Ilia, help me with him! Get him under whatever roof's left!" Together they hauled him to his unsteady feet and half dragged him into the only bit of stable left standing.

Epona was already inside. After he settled back down in a bed of hay, Link looked over at the little boy still sleeping on her back. "Ilia... I'm happy to know... you'll both be alright... My son... ... he is... so brave... ... I'm so... proud... ... ...of him..."

"Link, don't talk like that... You've made it through worse... _You're_ the hero..." Cleo held his hand. "You've got to make it... You can survive anything, right?... ... ...right?"

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

* * *

It was the dreariest morning in Cleo's life, no matter how many times it happened, saying goodbye was too heavy a burden. Ilia seemed perfectly calm as she loaded up the wagon that survived the fire with whatever stuff that had also survived, but the redness in her eyes told Cleo otherwise. She could sense Ilia was still weeping even now but trying to be brave for the sake of Link Jr. who still did not know what had transpired.

After she was done with a necessary chore, Cleo walked up to her. "Where will you go?"

"I'll be heading back to Hyrule... I don't know where specifically yet... But we'll find a new home. You don't have to worry for us Cleo."

"Ilia... ... I'm so sorry..."

"...It's not your falt... ... I was lucky to have a good husband who would go to any lengths for those he loved... I just didn't think... he'd... he'd..." She buried her face in her hands.

Cleo embraced her as best she could until Ilia could calm down again. Then she went to Link Jr. sitting in the back of the wagon. "Cweo, why is mom cwying? Where's daddy?"

"... ... ...Your dad's not here. Don't worry about him now. You need to take care of your mom. She needs you."

"...I don undewstand..."

"Listen kid... your dad wants you to be brave... for both of them. She'll tell you where daddy is later... but no matter what you'll hear... you must promise him to always have courage."

"...Okay..."

Ilia finally got two goats hooked up to the wagon and was ready to go. "Take care of yourself... By the way, I know you'll be traveling too, so you can have Epona. Whenever you need her, just play her favorite music. You know the one, right?" After Cleo nodded, Ilia snapped the reins and the wagon started it's journey.

Cleo looked back at her morning labor, a mound of earth with a Triforce carved rock at the head. "I'm ready to head back," she said to the red skull.

"Got it," answered Xibalba. Cleo was surrounded by a pair of black wings and vanished in a poof of feathers.


	12. Chapter 11

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 11

Cleo appeared in the museum's hidden room. Xibalba was waiting by the Book of Life. He held out his hand as Cleo walked up to it. "Considering what has happened, I'll let you rest for awhile before you go back out to find the _other pieces._ " The way he said that last part in a strained way suggested that he was still irked at the fact that there were still more to find.

Cleo handed him his red skull eye, then took out the paper artifact. "That's fine... Since this is only a quarter of the page, there is an approximately 88% chance there are three more. And 95% they'll be in three more dungeons."

"Figures..." He popped the eye back into his socket.

Cleo placed the piece back into the book and it reattached with a soft glow. "So where am I supposed to sleep?"

"Uh..."

"You haven't even thought of it have you?"

"I'll... set something up right now." And Xibalba zipped away.

Cleo just stood there for a moment before noticing the book was doing something peculiar. It appeared to be vibrating and lighting up. At first she thought it was going to explode and she quickly backed away. In a way, it did and it caused her to stumble down. "Ay, watch yo step now! It's a doozy!"

"What the-?" She looked up at a new entity standing before her. He was large and yellow, had a soft pure white beard that seemed to float like a feather, and was wearing stone necklaces and bangles. He was smiling and laughing in a booming, jovial voice. "Who are you? Some kind of Mayan Simpson?"

He grabbed her by the back of her tunic and lifted her up. "Nopey dope. I'm da Candle Maker."

"The... Candle Maker?"

"Yeah, don't ya see da image o me up here?" he said pointing his thumb. Cleo glanced up to the indicated image. "What, never thought o lookin up here and thinkin 'who is this handsome devil'?"

"Wha-Xibalba never mentioned you! What exactly do you do?"

"Well, you've heard from Xibalba that he and La Muerte look after those who've passed away into da Land o da Forgotten and Remembered respectively, right? Fo those still in da Land o da Livin, it is my job to look after them. Best career in da universe I.M.O. Readin story after story o peoples lives in da Book o Life. Never really get bored."

"Why are you called the Candle Maker?"

"Cause da candles I make represents peoples lives and once they burn out, poof! Game over! Speakin o which, I noticed one particular candle from da Termina shelf had gone out a while ago. Had to go see Link Sr. just now."

"You just met Link?! How is he?"

"Other than he's dead, he's A-OK! He wanted me to give yo a message, so I came over here, lickity-split!" Before Cleo could ask any more questions, he jumped right into it. "He said, and I quote, 'Cleo, I know how much you looked up to me and admired me as a hero. I'm very sorry I let you down. I'm not the chosen protector of Hyrule anymore. And with Hyrule in danger once more, I know now that you have to take my place. You are the only one left who can put a stop to the evil taking over this realm. You're just as great a hero as I was when I was alive and I know you can do it. I have full faith in you. I wish you a safe and victorious journey and I thank you for your kindness and bravery towards my family.'"

When the Candle Maker was done, Cleo was smiling and then realized she was also shedding tears, which was the first time since his death. She wiped them away. "Thank you."

"Hey, it's no biggie," he replied warmly.

Xibalba returned. "Your room is ready." Cleo looked over at the "room" and just stared. It wasn't so much a room as it was a tarp held up by sticks over a model of a stone tomb, covered in paper marigolds and picado.

She frowned. "Are you kidding me?"

"Hey, it's no five star hotel okay? You should be grateful you have a bed."

"You call that a _bed?_ "

"Lights out!" Xibalba grumbled as he went to the light switch and flipped it, making the room dim.

"...Goodnight Tarder Sauce." She watched Xibalba take his leave from this realm and the Candle Maker said his "goodnight" with a merry wave to Cleo before following him.

Without the glow of Xibalba's candles, she was now in total darkness so she lit a candle and laid down, placing it next to her. The model tomb was uncomfortable and she couldn't sleep at first. But as she stared at the soft glowing candle, she thought about what the Candle Maker said about them, how they stay lit by peoples lives until they go out when their lives were over. Link's candle... his burned out too early.

It hit her so suddenly, without warning. It was going to happen sooner or later, she knew, but it was still sudden. She'd had to hold it in for awhile and now that she'd heard the message, there was no need to hold it anymore, it needed to come out. It soon brought her sleep.

* * *

Cleo woke up, feeling much lighter than before, like she had managed to drop a heavy weight she'd been carrying. She saw a paper bag and a drink next to her. She wondered how it got here. She looked inside and saw tacos. Now hunger hit her as suddenly as grief had last night and she began stuffing herself.

By the time she washed the food down with the drink, Xibalba had returned. "I hope you're ready for another trip to Hyrule. I do _not_ allow sleep ins."

"Yeah, sure," she said eagerly. "I'm more than ready to tackle the next piece."

Xibalba raised an eyebrow at her. "You sound awfully chipper. Had a good sleep I take it?"

"Yeah, I actually feel better now... and well fed. The Candle Maker brought the food, didn't he?"

"Uh, sure. Of course he did," he replied rather vaguely. He didn't even look at her. "Let's just focus on our mission."

" _You_ don't look focused."

Xibalba gave her an annoyed look. "C'mon!" They went to the spell circle. "We may have to go to a different location this time. I'm sure Ganondorf has spread the pieces far and wide. So we'll have to change the circle."

"I thought we'd have to go to a different location here to go to a different location on the other side?"

"Normally, that's the case. But you'll soon learn that that technicality is quite outdated. With this circle, you just shift the rings around to change the coordinates. The only question is where you should go next."

Cleo bent down and randomly moved the rings. "This looks like the combination lock from the Temple of the Giants. They even have the same symbols." She took out the stone slab with the combinations. "Good thing I didn't throw this away. It might lead me right to the next piece of the page."

"If it did, it would be an amazing coincidence."

Cleo turned the rings around until the symbols matched. "Okay, all set."

"Don't forget this." Xibalba took his eye out again and tied it around her neck. "And Cleo, just don't get killed, at least not until after you're done."

Typical Xibalba. Cleo shook her head and stood on the spell circle.

* * *

Deep in the woods, there were huge nests hanging from high branches or nestled in forks and vines connecting to each and every tree. White monkeys were swinging and jumping about, chattering loudly. One of them was picking fruit and another snatched a piece away. The first began shrieking and chasing after the other. It caught up to the thief on the canopy and they started a slap fight.

Their skirmish was short lived however when they noticed something on the horizon and what they saw horrified them. A huge cylindrical cloud was heading toward them and the wind was increasing violently. The first monkey gave an urgent bark to the other and they hurried down to send out an alarm. The whole troop heard it and a panic started. They were now frantically grabbing food from their nests, mothers grabbed babies, and all of them grabbed for each others' hands and feet in a chain.

The wind came and began its ravage. Its strength and speed was enormous, pulling nests from trees and tearing them apart, ripping branches clean off the trunks, nearly uprooting the smaller trees. It was so terrible that the monkeys couldn't hold on and were blown away. The wind suddenly died down and they found themselves on the forest floor, their home now destroyed.

But the biggest calamity were the mothers missing their babies, blown farther away. Cries of despair rang out, deafening the forest.

* * *

Cleo found herself in a small hollow surrounded by a ring of trees. She was blinded by sunlight shining right down through the gap in the branches. She shielded her eyes so she could see where she was. It looked like she was somewhere between the Ordon and Faron Province.

A new statue of Xibalba appeared. "As long as you're in this realm, you can flit between the different statues I've placed so far. If you have an errand you need to attend to in a previous location for some reason, I can warp you there. Although I hope you don't unless it's really important."

"Don't worry. I don't need to go back to the canyons except to get another lesson from Captain Keeta later on." She took out her sword. "Time for some dowsing." But before she could point her blade anywhere, a strange howling came unexpectedly and a huge gale blew through the hollow, throwing Cleo right off her feet. She hit a rock wall and slid slowly down onto the ground, her eyes wide with shock. "...Ow..."

"Uh... hold on to something?" he suggested, clearly too late.

Cleo sat up, her hair wildly windswept. "What the hell was that?!"

"Don't ask me, I'm not a weather god."

She didn't get up right away, because she was sore all over and the crazy wind might come back at any moment. She didn't hear any more howling wind to warn her, but did hear something else. In the distance came hooting, shrieking, and screaming. They sounded frantic, distraught. "Already, something's going screwy."

"Then you better get a move on before the screwiness gets worse."

Cleo got on her feet and finally started dowsing. She got a fixed location to the next piece of the page. "It's a bit far. I better call Epona, it'll be much faster riding her."

"Hm, good thinking. I was about to tell you that myself."

Ignoring his false statement, she took out Manolo's guitar and started playing Epona's favorite song. It took a few times before she could hear the whinny and clopping of hooves from Link's faithful steed. Epona arrived by her side and Cleo stroked her gratefully and mounted.

Then Cleo heard another scream, but it wasn't from an animal at all. "Oh, now what?!"


	13. Chapter 12

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 12

Cleo pulled the reigns and steered Epona about. She took off toward the screaming and spotted what the commotion was. A girl, slightly older than Cleo wearing a poofy lolita dress, was running for her life from lizalfi. "Get away from me!" She tripped and fell. When one lizalfos caught up, she brandished her frilly umbrella like a sword. "Leave me alone!"

Cleo rushed in and slashed down the lizalfos. "Quick, get on!" The loli girl didn't hesitate in hopping on and Cleo slapped Epona into a full gallop. For a moment it seemed like they'd ditched the lizalfi, but Cleo looked back and saw they had mounts of their own. They were riding on reptilian horses she recognized as aquamenti. "Just hold on tight!"

She raced through a deeper grove, dodging trees, with the lizalfi chasing them. As each one caught up with her, Cleo's sword clashed with theirs until she could knock them off. She managed to fell twelve before she broke out into a clearing. "There's one more!" the loli girl squeaked. The last one was bigger and more heavily armed. A dynalfos.

"The Slithe of the group, no doubt!" It hopped off the aquamentus, pulling out it's ax. Cleo also dismounted and drew her sword.

"Oh my! Be careful!" The loli girl warned. Cleo and the dynalfos circled each other. It swung its ax to show it meant business and she took off her cape and waved it at her opponent, taunting. She waited patiently for it to make the first move. Then it attacked and she pulled away, countering with one of the hero's moves, removing a part of its armor. The fight continued in this fashion, with the dynalfos managing to land a few hits of its own, but it was too distracted and confused by the red cape to cause much damage.

Finally, Cleo knocked it down and she executed the ending blow.

After the victory, the loli girl got off Epona. "That was _so_ cool! When you fight, you float like a butterfly, yet sting like a bee!"

"You... you're Agitha!" Cleo said, out of breath. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I was out looking for very special butterflies that are only located in the Sacred Grove when those mean lizards started bothering me. I'm sure they wanted my precious bugs. Lizards eat bugs, you know. It's horrible."

"They'll eat any kind of meat! You could've been killed!"

"I'm fine!" Agitha pouted. "I can take care of myself!"

"Look, I need to find something somewhere around here too. I don't-"

"Oh, do you?" she giggled. "Well maybe I can help you look for that 'something'. After all, you _did_ save me. I owe it to you."

Cleo opened her mouth to protest, but hesitated. She'd rather do everything herself, but she remembered what Link had said about that. _You felt like you had to take all the burden and hardship and never asked for help... It was a bit selfish really..._

"...If you really insist... just stay close."

"Yay, goodie! I promise I won't let you down!" Agitha rummaged in her basket. "While we look for the 'something', you can help me look for the special butterflies. Here, you can borrow _this._ " She gave her a butterfly net.

"Are you sure about this Cleo?" Xibalba asked. "She's kinda nuts."

"I've played Hyrule Warriors. I think I know what she's capable of," Cleo whispered into the red skull pendant.

"What is that you're talking to?" asked Agatha. "You have a bug friend of your own? Can I hold him?"

"No, it's just a gossip stone. Let's go." Honestly though, Cleo thought, Xibalba _did_ bug her.

Cleo and Agatha mounted Epona and rode in the original direction in which the dowsing had pointed. As they rode through the forest, Cleo looked about every time she heard the wind pick up, but there were thankfully no gales. She thought she heard brass music too, but it was so faint she wondered if it was just in her imagination, thinking about the forest.

Her dowsing soon lead them into a dead end. A rock wall loomed before them. Cleo heard the wind, now a little louder and deeper than before, blowing endlessly. "By that sound, I'd say we must be close to a huge drop... Its coming from the other side of the wall."

"Ooh, I wonder what's out there?" Agitha asked.

Cleo dismounted and looked at the wall. There was a peculiar symbol, in a ringed formation, etched into the rock. Two curved trapezoids with the wide ends facing up and left, four pairs of curled lines pointing all four directions, two of them inside the trapezoids, and two single straight lines pointing upper right and lower right. In the very middle was only blank stone. "Is this some kind of weird compass?" She looked more attentively to the middle part. "It appears as though this symbol is incomplete, like its been worn away by the weather."

"I think... I think it's a butterfly."

"Can't this girl think of anything other than bugs?" Xibalba grumbled.

"Are you sure, Agitha?" Cleo asked, ignoring him as usual.

"Yeah, don't you see the curly lines? Don't they remind you of dainty antennas?" Cleo looked at them again. Yes, they _did_ look like that. "I've heard of a great big butterfly that represents the consciousness of all living things, it's called the Galactic Butterfly. That's why I was out here, I was trying to find the Blessed Butterflies. I've read they're closely connected to the Galactic Butterfly. I'm really hoping to meet it. I hear it's very beautiful."

"Agitha, try to focus. Does that butterfly or this symbol tell us anything about how we can get past this wall? My dowsing is telling me there's something on the other side."

"I don't know... but I'll bet the Blessed Butterflies can tell us. We just got to find them." Cleo had very nearly mounted Epona when Agitha spoke again. "Is that a marionette?"

Cleo slipped and was hanging off the side. "What did you say?!"

"Look!" Agitha pointed.

Cleo saw it, a gray puppet with a lolling head and a red leaf cape, hanging in the air by nonexistent strings. "That's-" The second she saw it, it turned around and glided away. "Wait! Come back!" she called out, tumbling to the ground. She ran after it, with Agitha following close behind. But no matter how fast she ran, it was always at least a couple of meters ahead of her. Not moving faster or slower than Cleo, it stayed out of reach but also didn't try to shake her. It was definitely leading her somewhere.

They came to another clearing and the marionette shot up suddenly into the trees. "Hey, where did it go?" wondered Agitha.

Cleo didn't look for it, something else caught her attention. A baby monkey was in the middle of the clearing, looking pitifully lost. It saw them and immediately ran over and clung onto Cleo's leg. "What are you doing out here, little guy? Are you lost?" She picked it up and it wrapped its arms around her neck. "I think this baby somehow got separated from the other monkeys. That's why the puppet wanted us to follow it."

"Oh, you poor thing!" Agitha patted its little head. "Do you miss your mama?"

"It seems the butterfly hunt will have to wait a bit. Let's just get him back to his home first." Then something came swooping out of the trees. Was it more puppets? A second glance told Cleo it wasn't. They were monkeys, adults. The biggest one leading them was Ook.

He walked over to her, making short bark-like hoots. The baby leaped off Cleo and then climbed onto his back. Ook made another bark at her, tugging her tunic. "I'm sorry, I don't understand you."

"He obviously wants you to go with him," said Xibalba. "You should tell him, 'I'm busy right now, would you like to leave a message?'"

Cleo quickly stuffed the red skull underneath her tunic to shut him up. "We're looking for the Blessed Butterflies. Do you know anything about the Galactic Butterfly?"

Ook made the same bark and pointed to a thicker part of the forest. It looked like Cleo and Agitha didn't have a choice in the matter. They followed the monkeys down a very hidden path through the brush. Cleo trusted Ook to lead them past this part of the forest that all looked the same while trying not to fall behind.

After a half-hour walk, they arrived at a settlement. It was a terrible mess. There were torn heaps of nests and pieces of wood laying scattered on the forest floor. The trees were missing some branches. The monkeys were swinging from tree to tree, quite a few of them were rebuilding the nests. Ook howled and some of his fellows quickly got into position. Ook swung up higher in the trees by their hands and feet and barked back at Cleo and Agitha.

"You don't mind this do you?" Cleo asked.

"Of course not. It actually looks like fun," laughed Agitha.

They let the monkeys take them up to a large nest. They saw Ook hand the baby over to its mother. Then he walked inside and they followed. What Cleo saw inside the nest left a huge smile on her face. "SK!" The skull kid, Cleo's long time closest friend in Hyrule was crouching in a corner, returning his own Cheshire Cat grin. She hurried over and embraced him. "You are a sight for sore eyes!"

"Boy, Cleo! You have gotten big!" He looked her up and down. "You were a head shorter than me when we first met."

"Yeah, I know I've grown a lot, but I haven't forgotten about you."

"Oh, you know the guardian of the Sacred Grove. That's good. Maybe he can let us go in to find the Blessed Butterflies."

"Later, Agitha." Cleo turned back to SK. "Tell me, what happened here?"

Ook started chattering to SK who nodded in response. "He says there's been a terrible wind storm that ripped apart their home. All the babies got blown away and the adults went to search for them."

"Oh no!" Agitha gasped.

"I myself felt the wind from my grove home and heard a huge panic from the monkeys. I decided to venture outside to see what was going on and found the babies before anyone else could."

"Where are they SK? Are they alright?" Cleo asked anxiously.

"I'm afraid not. When I approached them, an army of poes came out of nowhere and snatched them away. I grabbed the only one within reach and ran for it."

"That was the baby your puppet lead us to!"

"I knew I couldn't leave it alone. So I summoned my puppet to search for help."

Cleo's eyes narrowed. "This is Ghirahim's doing. I just know it!"

"Wha-Ghirahim?! He's back?!"

"Yes, him and Ganondorf."

"Ganondorf too?!" SK's eyes were popping. "What's going on here?!"

"It's a long story, but right now, we have more pressing matters."

"Yeah, like how do we find the babies? And how do we fight the poes?" Agitha quizzed. "They're all spiritual and such and we're not."

Cleo looked at her. "Don't worry, I already have a solution for both."


	14. Chapter 13

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 13

Cleo knew it was high time for another lesson from Captain Keeta back at the Ikana Canyon. She told Agitha and SK to wait for her while she made a quick trip there via statue warp. Once there (and reentering the Lands of the Dead), Keeta taught her a new stalfos technique called the Riboomerang. Hopefully it would prove useful. Thanks to Xibalba's warps, she did her back and forth before sundown.

It was time for a rescue mission. There was just one more question: "Agitha, how well can you cope with an out-of-body experience?" Cleo asked.

"Pardon?"

"If we're going to tackle the poes, we need to become spirits ourselves."

"Oh, well... I don't really know... I've never done it before. Have you done it?"

"A few times. It just takes one snake bite."

"Arm ym cffxy?!" Cleo pulled the red skull out of her tunic. "Granted, I'm going to forget you giving me a bird's eye view of your bosom... But is this really wise to drag this lepidopterist loony into the Lands of the Dead?"

"SK said there's an army of poes. I don't think even the great spin can take care of all of them. We're going to need some help."

"And what about the skull kid?"

"He has the Eye of Truth. So it won't be necessary."

"I still think it's stupid."

"Yeah well, I've done stupider and I haven't died yet."

"...Do what you will. Don't know why I should even care."

The snake started slithering out of her pack. "Agitha, I'll only take you if you're absolutely cool with this."

"Of course! I said I'd help you in return for saving me and I'm going to keep my word." Cleo smiled at her. She'd got to admit, Agitha was quite brave.

Each of the snake's heads wrapped around one of the girls' arms and bit into them. Agitha let out a squeaky yelp while Cleo merely clenched her teeth and they both collapsed on the floor of the nest. Cleo got back up and looked over at Agitha also getting up. Agitha looked at herself with a small hand mirror.

"Whoa! I'm a stalfos!"

"Don't worry, you'll be back to normal soon enough."

"Is that me on the floor?"

"Your body's just sleeping."

"This is _so_ weird."

"I know, right?"

"Maybe I can use my ribcage to carry my bugs around. It looks cozy enough."

"I guess that takes the term butterflies in the stomach quite literally." They both started giggling at the joke. Then they heard a rude fake throat clearing. "Okay okay, we're going Xibalba." She heard him mutter "girls..."

SK was waiting outside. When he turned around as Cleo came out, they stared at each other. "Is that you Cleo? That's the second time today I almost didn't recognize you... ... ... What?"

"What in the world are you wearing?" she asked, indicating the huge weird looking monocle on his face.

"Oh, this. It's the Eye of Truth. I kinda tinkered with it, made it wearable."

"So that's why you can see us right away."

"Are we ready to go?" asked SK.

* * *

After her close encounter with the monkeys, Cleo could now dowse the whereabouts of the missing babies. Guided by her mental ability, she lead the team down through the maze-like forest. Before they could reach their destination however, they came to the edge of a deep chasm.

"The babies are on the other side. We need to find a way to cross this," said Cleo.

"No problem." SK took off his leaf cape, backed up a bit, and made a running leap. The leaf billowed and he floated across like a parachute pro. "C'mon! It's your turn!"

"This looks like fun!" Agitha opened her parasol.

"Wait, Agitha! Are you sure you should be doing this? You might fall!"

Agitha did look down nervously. "I'm afraid there's no time to find another way across. I'll just think of the poor, helpless, frightened, little babies and how they need us so terribly."

"Will that motivational push help?"

"We can't find that out until we do it." And closing her eyes, she leaped off the edge and the parasol managed to carry her across the chasm, a little haphazardly. She whooped as she floated and landed on the other side, almost falling backward.

"Alright, Cleo! You next! Just use your cape and do what I did!" SK called out.

Cleo nodded and took off her red cape. She jumped and glided across just as easily as SK. But then another gale came out of nowhere and she was flying out of control. SK and Agitha shouted in a panic as they watched her get thrown into the air like a ragdoll and crash into the trees in a bony heap. They rushed to her and turned her over. After she recovered from her crash landing, she suddenly started laughing and, when they realized she was alright, the two joined in with her laughter.

"I haven't had this much fun in years... I should really thank Xibalba for _that..._ " Cleo said between breaths.

After calming themselves down, they continued down the path until they came to an eerie place. In the dark of night, they could see the gleam of cages hanging by the light of the poes' lanterns.

"I can barely see who's inside them, even with this monocle on. Are they who we're looking for?" SK asked.

Cleo pointed her sword at the cages and felt the aura of the monkeys. "It's them, all right." She observed the surroundings carefully. There were ten cages in total, each guarded by a robed one-eyed poe. "These look like watchers. If we get caught in their light, they'll sound the alarm, calling for reinforcements. We'd be surrounded."

"Um, isn't it _my_ job to analyze the situation and give advice?" asked Xibalba.

"Yeah well, you haven't been a very good quest partner. In fact, you're the worst."

"Buuurrrn..." SK snickered.

"Even after I manage to take care of them, there's still the problem of freeing the babies."

"I can pick the locks." Cleo and SK looked at Agitha. "It's nothing new, really. I never liked seeing bugs in cages, so I picked up this little trick to free them."

"And SK, since you're the only one the babies can see, you'll have to deliver them home. Can you do that?"

"Me _and_ my puppets can," he answered in a salute.

"Good, I'll go on ahead. Agitha, come with me."

The two snuck their way closer to the poes' camp. They climbed up ridges on a large tree that acted as ramps until they reached a cage. The poe was circling the cage and they had to wait it out, hiding behind the trunk to avoid the light.

"How do we take it down without coming near it?" Agitha asked.

Cleo knew she had to attack from a distance. But from behind the cage, the slingshot wouldn't do. There was only one thing that could take care of this. She stuck her hand underneath her tunic and grabbed hold of her own rib, prying it off with a slightly sick crack. She pulled it out, took careful aim, and threw it. It swerved around in midair and killed the poe with one hit before returning to her hand.

Agitha lightly clapped her hands. "Neat trick! Where'd you learn it?"

"Learned it from Captain Keeta who learned it from another stalfos who sometimes uses it to play fetch with his poe dog."

"If I ever meet the poe dog, I'm gonna give him a big hug." Agitha hurried to the cage and, using the same cannibalizing idea, pulled off one of her fingers to pick the lock. The door swung open, but the baby was hesitant in coming out, having only seen the cage just magically open.

"Don't worry about him. SK will take care of the rest."

Then they proceeded to the others, repeating the same process nine more times. Soon, all the poes were gone and all the babies were on the forest floor. With no poes to call for trouble, SK had coaxed them out with his music. But as he played a marching tune, there was a howling wind-like scream. To their utter surprise, trouble came anyway. More poes arrived, imp poes, and began to surround them.

"SK, get them outta here!" Cleo shouted over the shrieking cackles.

The skull kid blew hard into his flute and his puppet's came and snatched up the baby monkeys. After they had gone, SK called back "I'll be waiting in the Sacred Grove! Give me the song's call when you arrive!" And he turned tail and disappeared into the leaves.

"Agitha, you get out of here as well!"

"But Cleo-"

"Go!"

Agatha hesitated a bit and then she too ran off. Now with no one to worry about, Cleo drew her sword to fight the poes. Hundreds of them started clustering together in a tight group. They fused together in a spectral light until they became a big ghostly wizzrobe surrounded by at least twenty floating lanterns, constantly in fast orbit. She stayed out of their reach and waited for it to make its move. It conjured a plasma ball at her. She instantly reacted and bounced it back with a swing, but it didn't get through. It bounced right back from the spinning lanterns and hit her squarely in the chest, knocking her to the ground.

She needed a new strategy. She remembered a similar boss fight in one of the Zelda games and took out her Riboomerang again. With a perfect wrist movement, she threw it and it hit several lanterns at once. They shattered, but were still spinning. That was progress. Avoiding the plasma balls, she kept throwing the rib until a good number of lanterns finally fell. Without the lanterns' protection, she bounced back the projectiles with just the right timing and the wizzrobe sizzled and sunk to the ground. Cleo rushed in and finished it.

It split apart and the poes ignited into dying flames. Cleo panted.

"That rib of yours is certainly _easy to grasp_."

"XIBALBA!"

"What? I'm only _ribbing_ you," he sniggered.

"You are _sick!_ " Cleo groaned. Then she heard Agitha's voice somewhere a little ways off. She sounded angry. "What now?"

She managed to pick up some of the loli girl's words as she hurried to her. "-the one who took the babies aren't you?! You're a big meanie!"

"Silence you pest!" Cleo stopped cold when she heard a drawling voice answer Agitha. She knew that voice all too well. "One of those babes were to be the next bait for a certain warrior maiden and you had to go and spoil my plan!"

"It's Cleo you want to hurt, isn't it! I won't let-" her sentence was cut short by a heavy slap, and there was the sound of a skeleton crumpling to the ground.

"NO!" Cleo snapped out of her frozen stance and ran faster. She found Agitha lying on the ground, her sockets closed, being hoisted up by none other than her arch nemesis. "Ghirahim!"

The evil sword spirit turned to her with that familiar smug look. "It's been so long, hasn't it Cleo? How I miss tormenting you in the worst possible way, it makes me tingle."

"Let her go, NOW!"

"So this is your friend, is it? How delightful! I'm inviting her to a fancy party in the Temple of Winds. You're welcome to follow." Cleo charged at him, but he disappeared in a flurry of diamonds a second before she could hit him. "See you there..." his voice said with a fading cackle.


	15. Chapter 14

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 14

Cleo threw her sword down in frustration. Agitha... gone, taken. Cleo was seething at her own carelessness. She looked down at the basket laying on its side, one bottle had rolled out. She picked it up, along with her sword, and looked inside. There was a Blessed Butterfly Agitha must've already found before meeting Cleo. She remembered that they were the key to the Temple of Winds (She knew that must be what was behind the rock wall).

And with this butterfly's aura, she'd be able to find more with her dowsing. "Xibalba, I need to get back to my body."

"I don't hear a 'please'."

"Xibalba!-"

"Okay! I get the point! You want to save Agitha!" Cleo was given an antidote and was whisked back into the monkey village. Then she set out along a familiar path through the Faron Province until she hit another chasm where the Sacred Grove lay on the other side. With the Deku fan used to turn swing bridges combined with her cape parachuting, she was able to get across without fail (and without anymore gale mishaps, thank goodness). She landed on a ledge and entered a cave leading to the grove.

She looked around and found no pathways. Only SK could open the pathways as it was his divine duty to guard the place from all except those he deems worthy, or fun to play with. She got out the guitar and played the music SK had always played with his flute. She quickly got a response from him after she'd completed the song only once. There was a giggle and a rattle of wood and the skull kid appeared with his band of puppets.

"Seek and find. That's the game to play. If you want to find the butterflies, you'd better keep up with me. Aaannnd" (his head cocked to one side) "my puppets will be your obstacle." He blew his flute and the marionettes headed toward her. Cleo did a jump strike to fell all at once. She saw her friend run off through the magically dematerializing wall and she gave chase.

She followed her dowsing to find the Blessed Butterflies scattered throughout the grove and caught them with Agitha's net. There were twenty butterflies she would soon find while battling the puppets getting in her way. The puppets were easy to deal with, not very dangerous. When she reached the center of the grove where the last butterfly was fluttering over the top of some ruins, she was surrounded by dozens of marionettes. Cleo held out her sword and, summoning all her spiritual energy into her blade, executed the great spin, wiping them all out.

She wobbled wildly and fell on her rear. "Wa~arn me~e ne~ext time!" Xibalba moaned waveringly.

"Sorry." Cleo got up with some difficulty and almost fell over again. She climbed up the ruins and caught the last butterfly.

SK hopped down from a tree. "That was fun!" he giggled. "I missed having fun with you. You're always great to hang around with."

Cleo walked up to him. "I'm sorry we haven't hung out as much as we used to."

"You're almost a grown up... but you haven't changed, have you. You're just as brave as the day you smacked me with a book."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that!" They started laughing. After the laughter stopped, she asked "So what now?"

At that, the butterfly in the bottle began to glimmer like a speckle of stars. She looked inside the side pocket of her leather bag where she had _very_ carefully put the other butterflies and saw a bright glow. They all burst out and flew in a loop in the air. Cleo quickly uncorked the bottle so the last one could join its fellows. They began a formation and created a familiar image. It took a few seconds for her to realize that it was the Galactic Butterfly, except this image was complete. In the center of the image was the spiraled Kokiri symbol.

"So now that I know what it's supposed to look like, I just have to complete it to open the temple."

"Ooh, ooh! You need something to draw with! You can go on ahead, I'll catch up with you." SK hurried off in a rush. He tripped, picked himself up, and continued running.

A few butterflies stayed behind as the rest flew away. A new opening appeared and the butterflies fluttered through. "They want you to follow," said Xibalba. "It's ironic, really. Following a butterfly wasn't exactly a blessing for you before."

"Shut up, Xibalba!... Just shut up!"

"All right, all right! I take it back! _Sigh..._ Didn't realize you are still touchy about it..."

Cleo ran though the opening after the butterflies. The tunnel was actually a shortcut that lead straight to the wall with the incompleted image. SK dropped out of nowhere again. "Found something already? You just like popping in and out of places, don't ya?"

"Here, this brush was in my stash at the hideaway. It's supposed to be magic." SK gave her a dry brush.

"Thanks, SK." Cleo looked at the butterflies hovering in front of the image. She remembered a certain mechanic from Skyward Sword. She took out the guitar again and started thrumming a few random notes, then tried swiping her fingers across the strings over and over. A glowing square outline appeared around the image, looking like the frame of a portrait. She held up the brush and dragged it across the stone, leaving a luminous trail. She drew the Kokiri symbol in the middle, a spiral ending with an angled line pointing southwest.

The instant she was finished, the entire image flashed with a bright light and an extra line of light cut down the middle and cracked the rock wall in two, smoothly sliding them apart.

The sound of the howling wind was stronger than ever. She had never seen a chasm so deep or wide unlike the others she'd managed to cross before. "I don't think your cape will get you across this one."

"I can see that, Captain Obvious!" Cleo snapped. She looked up, there was no visible trace of sky anywhere, it was very dense with thick roots or leafless branches (she couldn't tell which, they were so freaky looking). "I need something to grapple with." A thought struck her. "Xibalba, can I use your snake?"

"What? No way! My snake is a snake, _not_ a rope!"

" _Please?_ "

"No!"

" _Pretty please_ with sugar on top?"

Xibalba groaned. " _Must_ you say that line?... Alright, fine. Just try not to handle him too roughly, he doesn't like that."

"Don't worry, I've pretty much learned how to handle him well." Cleo gently pulled the two-headed snake out of her bag and gave him a stroke across the back to keep him calm. Then, aiming carefully at the nearest limb, tossed one of the heads. It firmly latched onto the limb and after giving it a careful tug, Cleo swung off the ledge, hanging on tight. She climbed up and pulled herself onto the limb. She stood up carefully and looked for the next limb. Then she repeated, again and again until she reached the other side.

On the ledge was another stone pedestal just like the one in the Temple of the Giants. There was no body laying on it, Cleo knew the body of Agitha was laying farther away in the monkey village. But if Ghirahim spoke the truth, Agitha was somewhere in this temple. And if Cleo didn't go help her, her friend would never wake up.

Cleo laid herself on the pedestal. "I'm ready Xibalba."

"As you wish." She closed her eyes and his snake bit into her.

Cleo got up and found an opening in the dark vines. She walked in and found a round shaft chamber. She looked down and could see metal mesh making up most of the floor below with flat metal fan blades underneath. Then she looked up at the walls stretching on, barely able to see the top. The walls were covered with vines, some of them overhanging. She used the snake to get across the shaft to other doors, leading to rooms and hallways. There was a mesh barrier blocking her way, but with a hanging bar on the ceiling for her to swing over the barrier. The bar turned out to be a switch that raised the barrier behind her, preventing her from going back. Forced to continue forward, she traveled down the hallway, and avoided blade traps and armos, to find her way back to the main chamber. She entered another room and found crystal switches that could only be activated in a specific order. Once she did it right, she got access to a button. After pressing it and returning to the shaft, she found the fan had activated. She used the cape to get to higher floors. In a room down another hallway, she fought a stalmaster to get a pair of iron boots. With them, she could walk past the fans on the walls that would otherwise push her back and use springs to get to places the vines didn't. She arrived in a hallway where the walls were lined with the same Galactic Butterfly symbol. Each picture featured a different part of the butterfly in a different shade. At the end of the row she found another incomplete image she must finish and realized she had to do it in a certain order with the previous images being a clue. After solving the puzzle, a chest appeared containing the combination slab for the dungeon. She used the symbols on the big door at the very top of the shaft and opened it.

She found herself in total grayness. She stood on a wide flat stone floor surrounded by a dense wall of dark, fast moving clouds. Ahead of her was Agitha, chained, with a chest next to her.

"Cleo, be careful! You're about to be jumped upon!" Agitha shouted, her voice barely heard over the roaring wind.

Cleo heard an unearthly yet melodious howl like that of a high wind blowing through a narrow passage. She was suddenly off her feet as something invisible shoved her to the floor. On the ground, she looked up into the eye of the storm and could see the only bit of blue sky there. Something fell from it and landed right before her. It was a humanoid being with a hideous monkey face and only one arm and leg. The other two limbs were blades attached to stumps. She quickly jumped out of the way of its swing and drew her sword.

 **Handicapped Master of Storms:**  
 **Horrican**


	16. Chapter 15

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 15

Horrican unleashed another howl and Cleo was shoved back, too close to the edge. Any closer and she would be blown away into the storm. It was his voice that had caused the terrible gales. She quickly activated the iron boots to keep from flying. He began spinning like a tornado, coming right at her. She used the Gravedigger to avoid the attack. He was momentarily dizzy, but recovered quickly before she could attack. He swung his sword limbs quite agilely, while Cleo tried to block with her sword. She tried to wave her cape, but he easily dodged past the distraction and struck her. Agitha shrieked. Cleo quickly got back up before he could make another strike. He executed his tornado attack again. Cleo dug out of the way and got her Riboomerang ready. Once behind Horrican, she threw it at his head to keep him dizzy, then she whipped the snake to latch onto his sword leg and pull him off balance, causing him to fall to his knees. She charged in and struck him as many times as possible before he got up and resumed the fight. Then with a new wail, his ribs began flying everywhere. Cleo managed to wave most of them away (she got hit a few times). Then she once again performed the whole process of knocking him down and attacking until he was completely flat on the ground, then she executed the finishing blow.

Horrican writhed on the ground and went limp. His body started seeping the white, glowing smoke until the soft flash enveloped him, shrinking him a bit and making him into a more human stalfos wearing conquistador armor. Cleo watched the transformation, but also kept an eye on the glowing smoke just floating above. A closer look showed it was a spectral light, apparently moving sentiently. It flew at her before she could figure out what it could be and she tried to block it with her cape, already too late.

It hit her squarely in the chest and was absorbed into her bones. She immediately had a mental whiteout.

 _The ground began to shake... Forests ripped apart... buildings and skyscrapers toppled... sounds of people screaming and loud crashing of rocks... The world tore itself apart and the light of the sun died..._

Cleo was flat on her back as her eyes shot open. Agitha was hovering over her. "Oh thank the goddesses, you're alright!"

"You... you were chained to the ground... How did."

"I'm a stalfos, silly! Pulling my hands off wasn't hard or painful," she explained, waving said hands. Cleo got up and they both looked at the unconscious conquistador. "Do you think we should help him?"

"We should. He wasn't normal before." She noticed he still had a sword arm and leg. "If fact, I think he's still not normal. But I'm sure he's back to his old self, though." They walked over to him. "Hola? Señor? Señor!"

There was a moan and he picked himself off the ground. "What happened? Where am I?"

"You're in Hyrule, Señor..."

"Jorge... Jorge Sanchez. Retired bullfighter and now great opera singer. I..." He looked around. "I was sure I was onstage ready to perform Historia De Un Amor in sympathy for Xibalba and the curse that befell La Muerte."

"W-what? What curse? Did something happened to La Santa Muerte?" Cleo asked, totally confused.

There was a grunt. "Spoiler!"

Cleo held out the red skull pendant. "Xibalba, what's he talking about? What happened to La Muerte."

"I'll explain when you get back. Just get that page piece."

"Fine!" she sighed. She hurried to the treasure chest and got the second piece.

"Is that the 'something' you're looking for?" asked Agitha.

"Yep. Now it's time I get you back to your body." Cleo turned to Sanchez. "Jorge, Manolo reported you missing, you need to get back to the Land of the Remembered."

"Indeed, I shall. _Adios doncellaaa guerreraaaa!_ " sang Jorge. Agitha clapped.

Cleo smiled. "Let's go."

* * *

She woke up on the pedestal and proceded to swing back across the chasm. However, as she was walking past the stone doorway, someone was standing in her way. A complete stranger in wild tribal adornments. Cleo stared bewildered at this sudden random appearance for a moment.

"Wha... who are you?" There was something about his presence that felt familiar. "Were you...? You were at the canyon weren't you?" The man didn't answer. "I knew there was someone watching me back there. I know, my dowsing doesn't lie."

"... ... ...That is the second Temple of the Sun you have entered and succeeded in possessing a spirit."

"Huh?" It took a second to grasp what he'd just said. "You mean the..." Was this guy talking about the same strange events that took place in those two temples? "Howcha know that? - I mean... were they really possessing me?"

"Do not pretend you don't know!" he scowled. "You found the temples that cannot be found in the Land of the Living. You entered the temples that can only be entered in the Land of the Dead..." Cleo was speechless. "Tell me... why are you trying to accomplish this task? You know these temples are forbidden. What are you trying to achieve?"

"Wha-what are you-?..." _Forbidden?_ she thought. _Why are they forbidden?_ "Listen, I had to go in these temples! There were pieces of a page in there, I needed to get them!"

"What page?"

She just realised she shouldn't have said that. "Uh, well... it's uh... complicated..."

"Tsk! You humans are always coming up with pathetic excuses for your actions! It is shameless!" Cleo felt a pang of aggravation. "I am surprised you even managed to get inside. If you are wise, you will heed my advice. Abandon this wasteful quest and leave." The stranger backed away. "And remember... I will _not_ warn you again." He took something from his bag and Cleo caught a glimpse of a deku nut before he threw it to the ground creating a blinding light. When her eyes recovered, he had disappeared.

"Just _who_ does he think he is, ordering you around?" Xibalba scoffed. "Only _I_ get to do that!"

* * *

They soon returned to the monkey village and Cleo said her goodbye to Agitha. She wanted to return the net to her, but Agitha said Cleo could keep it and bring her any bugs she caught, in case she needed some money.

"Well now that you got the page, it's time to return to the museum," commanded Xibalba.

"I will. There's just one more thing I need to do in the Sacred Grove. And yes, it's important."

"Probably just going to say goodbye to your little skull kid friend. Whatever, be quick about it then."

* * *

Xibalba popped into the museum's hidden room and set up the table with a wave of his hand. He sat down and took out a box containing his own private stock of candy cigarettes. He twirled one in his spidery fingers for a moment, thinking of better times in his eternal life... thinking of _her._ Eyes closed, he stuck the candy in his mouth just shortly before Cleo walked in from the portal.

She stopped and stared as Xibalba was sucking and licking the candy stick in a rather suggestive way, a dreamy expression lingering in his eyes, seemingly not realizing Cleo had just returned.

"Uh, Xibalba?"

"W-what?!" Xibalba snapped out of his obvious daydreaming with such a start that Cleo imagined captivating music was playing in his head which ended abruptly with a rough record scratch.

Cleo was staring at him weirdly, trying to hold back a snort. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing!" He answered automatically, hiding the sugar stick. He glared at her, very annoyed. "You really should knock!"

"Sorry." Cleo walked up to the Book of Life and stuck the new page piece back into it.

Xibalba noticed something sheathed on her back and cocked an eyebrow. "Did you get a new sword?"

"Yeah. I had to pick it up at the grove. I'm going to need it."

"Oh, that's right! You retrieved the Master Sword." Cleo came up to him and gave him his eye back. "I gotta say, I never saw it up close." He put it back in his socket.

"You can admire it later. I need to ask you-"

"Yes, I know. You want to know what happened to La Muerte."

"Yeah, did it have anything to do with Ganondorf and Ghirahim?"

"Well, yes... The reason I didn't mention it was because it didn't matter at the moment, not yet anyway. And it was something I'll have to deal with myself."

"Why? What happened and what do you have to do yourself?"

"Well... when Ganondorf came to steal the Medal of Everlasting Life, La Muerte tried to intervene. This hidden room we're in is a gateway for the gods that rule over the Lands of the Dead. It doesn't even stay in the same museum. It can move to any other museum we wish, like the National History Museum in New York for example."

"Yet it was easy for Ganondorf to get to this room because it contains a portal to Hyrule. And I'll bet Ghirahim helped him since he knows a thing or two about portal spell circles."

"Yes well, back to the event, La Muerte came here to stop the two interlopers, but Ghirahim was the one who stopped her in her tracks." Xibalba's tone got harder as he spoke.

"What about you, though? What did you do?"

"I wasn't here... But when I heard of what happened to La Muerte... I..." He started to look angry. At them or himself, she wasn't sure.

"What did Ghirahim do?"

"...He trapped her... in an impenetrable crystal... She couldn't move... she may not even be conscious..."

"Is there any way to reverse it?"

"There is... There's an ancient ritual I'm working on, one that gives power to the gods. It's still a work in progress, but hopefully I'll be able to free her once it's done properly."

"What's the ritual?"

"...All in good time. You need to deal with the page and then the medal while I deal with saving La Santa Muerte."

"Why does it matter to you?"

"... ...Because she's my wife."

Cleo's jaw dropped. "You're married?!"

"Yes..."

"Do you have kids?"

"Well yes, we have many. In fact, we have a lot. Sometimes I was quite an overprotective father, especially with Sartana when she was a kid. But that was before she..." Xibalba shook his head, realizing he was getting off topic. "Actually, that's not even important. You should get some rest before going back to Hyrule."


	17. Chapter 16

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 16

Cleo was fast asleep on the stone tomb model, this time with cushions to make it more comfortable and the tarp acting as a blanket instead of being propped up and making things drafty.

She was suddenly shot awake by a piercing sharp pain. "OW!" She got up and rubbed her bony arm... Bony? She looked at herself and realized she was a stalfos again, her body still lying in deep sleep. She shot the coiling snake an angry look. "What was that for?!"

"Perdón. That was my fault..."

Cleo looked up at the speaker. "Oh, it's you Manolo. Buenas noches."

"Yeah, sorry about that. I had to have you bitten so we can talk. I am invisible you know."

"That's okay."

"I wanted to come see how you're doing, having to deal with Xibalba and all the other loco things. And I want to thank you for finding two of my ancestors."

"You're very welcome Manolo. You don't have to worry about me, though. I'm starting to get used to that tar pit."

"Still, I am worried. Xibalba's most untrustworthy, even if his intentions are justifiable."

"I know that much. He's not exactly what I'd call a saint, but he's not dangerous."

"I'm afraid you do not understand. I know Xibalba. He, at one time in my life, did something despicable just to win back his estranged wife, La Muerte. I don't suppose he told you yet-"

"Yeah, he told me, just now, that he was married. What exactly did he do?"

"It's a long story actually."

"...Tell me everything." Manolo recalled the events that took place in his home town of San Angel and the wager the god couple made involving Manolo himself, his wife Maria, and his best friend Joaquín.

"Although he was forced to stop causing misery and misfortune on innocent people after losing the wager, the fact still remains that Xibalba was capable of much more terrible things than you realize."

"So you're saying... Xibalba might have to break the deal he made with La Muerte in order to aid me, or rather himself?"

"He's already broken it. He has interfered with your life when he's not supposed to. I'm just saying, he doesn't really know or care if you will survive the battle against Ganondorf once it comes to it. If need be, he might have to sacrifice you to get that medal back. He will use any means necessary to achieve that goal, even if he knows you might die in the process."

"In other words, our partnership might not end in mutual agreement, but rather end the same way as Light and Ryuk. Sorry, you probably don't get-"

"No, actually I do. Maria, Joaquín, and I have become big anime fans in the last decade."

Cleo chuckled. "Well... even if I _am_ just a pawn... I can't stop now. And... ... I _have_ to trust Xibalba. I can't save Hyrule or the rest of your ancestors without his help. Most likely they're trapped as monsters somewhere in the Lands of the Dead."

"They are? Is that's what happened to Carmelo and Jorge?" After Cleo nodded, he added "My father and grandfather as well?"

"...I'm pretty sure."

"Why is this happening?"

"I don't know... but I do know something funny is going on here." A thought struck her. "Manolo, what are the Temples of the Sun?"

"...The Temples... of the Sun?" he repeated, looking obviously blank.

"Nevermind... it's nothing..."

"Well, you should get a goodnight's rest señorita Cleo."

"Okay, Manolo. It was nice talking to you."

"I'll tell Link you said hello."

"Gracias..."

* * *

Cleo woke up to shouting and sat up and rubbed her eyes. "No!... No, La Noche! I don't know where your sister is! Please, stop pestering me about it!" There was a pause. "I don't care what your plans are, I-!" Another pause. "I told you, I'll tell you as soon as I hear word from her!" Pause. "Okay! Thanks! Bye!" Cleo caught sight of Xibalba and the Candle Maker standing together, the former slamming down an old fashioned telephone with a skull on it before it disappeared in a poof of green fire. He rubbed his temples.

"Ya know if La Noche finds out about this, she's gonna make yo life a livin hell," the Candle Maker said with worry.

"My life's already a living hell down in my realm!"

"What's going on?" Cleo asked, approaching them. "Who's La Noche?"

"La Muerte's twin sister," Xibalba answered. "And my ex. She rules over the Land of the Unknown."

"There are more realms of the dead?"

"Yes, many more," said the Candle Maker. "Da Land o da Unknown, Land o da Cursed, Land o da Blessed. Da afterlife _does_ have quite a variety o flavors."

"Well, you've peaked my curiosity. I'd like to see them all someday."

"Wait until you're dead!" Xibalba growled. "You've got work to do."

" _Yes sir..._ Jerk."

"Brat."

"Geezer."

"Goodie."

"Vulture."

"Tomboy."

"Don I getta insult?"

"Shut up, Candlebutt!" they both shouted.

* * *

Cleo appeared in another canyon, along with a new warp statue. But it wasn't Ikana, she recognized it as the Eldin Province. The village of Kakariko might even be nearby. She started walking down the path that would lead her there, if her memory served.

"WATCH OUT!" Xibalba cried out. Cleo instantly yanked out the Master Sword and red cape and got into a fighting stance, ready for whatever's about to attack her. Her head was whipping about for the attackers... ... ... there was nothing here. She heard a snicker. " _Just_ kidding!"

"I _so_ hate you!" Cleo scowled.

She summoned Epona and rode the rest of the way to Kakariko Village. She went through the gate and viewed the village with shock. The place looked like a war zone, a plethora of black spots from apparent fire damage, and some buildings were completely burned. It looked even more cataclysmic blanketed under rolling dark clouds.

"I really hope this is just an accident from one of Barnes' crazy experiments."

There was a group at the edge of the village talking among themselves. Cleo rode up to them when one of the talkers looked up at her and called out "Hey, Link!" She halted Epona rather abruptly and glanced down to see a young man. "...Oh, I'm sorry! I thought you were someone else."

"...That's quite alright."

"But that's Epona though. Is Link letting you borrow her?"

"Uh... yeah... My name's Cleo and-"

"Really? _You're_ Cleo? He told me a lot about you. It's nice to finally meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too. You're Colin, right?"

"Yeah I am. How is Link, anyway? I haven't seen him or Ilia for some time. And I've only seen his son once when he was a baby. He must be walking around the farm by now."

Cleo was starting to get uncomfortable. She didn't want to talk about him. "The family's not in Termina anymore. They've decided to move back to Hyrule. I don't know where specifically though. Ordon probably." She tried to find an excuse to change the subject. "What happened here?" Before she could get an answer, thunder rumbled. The group turned toward it with anxious dread on their faces. "What's wrong?"

"We need to get inside, now!" Colin shouted. They all rushed toward the sanctuary. "You better come in with us, quickly!" He called back.

"What?" Cleo was beginning to wonder what kind of trouble there could be this time.

"CLEO, WATCH OUT!"

" _Seriously_ Xibalba! Don't you have a better hobby than crying wol-" _**BOOM!**_ Cleo was on the ground before she realized she'd been thrown. She pushed herself up and saw Epona running in a panic. Then she looked up and her jaw dropped. Fireballs, _HUGE_ fireballs were raining down from the sky. "Shit!"

She scrambled up and raced after Epona all the way down the main road through the village. Thankfully Epona halted when another fireball landed in front of her. Cleo grabbed the reins and pulled her back through the village as the deadly rain continued to fall. She noticed something else falling from the sky, flailing as it crashed though an already damaged roof. She didn't stop to ponder what it was, she lead Epona toward the sanctuary and pulled her inside.

"Hurry! Down here!" Colin called from a trap door. Cleo managed to pull Epona down through it. The booming persisted as they all sat there underground. "That was a close call."

"What's going on here?"

"We don't know. It's been like this for awhile lately, at least once or twice a day. And it doesn't look like it will stop anytime soon."

She looked at the group he'd been talking to outside. "Who are they?"

"This is the new Resistance. I became one of the members and took my dad's place. The other new members here are Luda the shaman's daughter, my friend Talo, and his brother Malo who is the new leader. Shad's the only remaining member from the old Resistance." Luda, Malo, and Shad nodded to Cleo, who realized they had met before. "The only current member that's absent right now is a Sheikah named Impa who's on an errand. She took Auru's place after he passed away."

"Why are you wearing the green attire of the legendary hero anyway?" Malo asked suddenly. "Only Link has the privilege of wearing it."

"Aw, leave her alone, bro!" Talo countered defensively. "I'm sure she has a good reason for wearing it. Right Cleo?"

"Only if the gods have chosen her. Have they chosen you, Cleo?"

"Well, one _really obnoxious_ god did," said Cleo.

"But I've never heard of a girl hero before."

"And what exactly is wrong with that?" Luda spoke up in annoyance. "Girls can be heroes too if they want to."

"I'm not saying they can't. It's just that there's never been a girl hero before Cleo. It's a fact."

"Well, _I_ don't have a problem with her being the hero," Shad spoke up. "I mean there's a first time for everything, right? And don't you see she has the Master Sword?"

"That still doesn't mean she's telling the truth. She could've stolen it from Link for all we know."

Both Cleo and Colin went into an outburst. Their voices were jumbled together so hardly any words were distinguishable except occassionally something like "outrageous" or "I'd _never_ " or "can't just acc-" and ending with Cleo shouting "-night Hallow all over again!" Other shelter residents were staring at them.

" _Sorry_ for being a skeptic, I'm just being realistic here," Malo said with a huff. "We can't know for sure if Cleo's the hero unless we can get confirmation from Link himself."

"He _can't_ give confirmation! He's..." She stopped short. She almost let slip his death to the group. At worse, Malo might think her a murderer. "Look, I don't know where he is." There was a moment of awkward silence. By the way he was looking at her, Malo could tell she was hiding something.

"The booming has stopped," said Luda. "I think it's safe to go out again. Some fresh air might do us some good."

* * *

Author's note: La Noche is not an OC and will not be making an appearance in this fanfic. I do not claim her as she is an official Book of Life character who has yet to make an official appearance in a future sequel. (If there's going to be one)


	18. Chapter 17

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 17

Cleo and the group walked through the village to examine the damage. "Luda, I hate to tell you this, but if this keeps up, we will have no choice but to abandon the village," Malo concluded heavily. "No one can live like this. Most of the people have already left. Barnes was the first to pack up and leave, saying he'd had enough. Frankly, I don't blame him, Barnes being a bomb shop owner."

"We can't give up so easily. There's got to be an explanation for this... If we can figure that out, maybe we can find a solution."

"Talo has already climbed up Death Mountain to ask the Goron Elders about this. They said the volcano's actually dormant at the moment and has nothing to do with this. The only other thing I can think of is that the fire rain is coming from the sky. How can anyone explain that?"

"...I don't know."

Cleo heard an "ahem!" and held out the red skull pendant. "Shouldn't you be doing your dowsing so we can get started?"

"Okay!" She held out the Master Sword and immediately thought of pointing it at the sky. There was actually a strong signal like the aura from the Book of Life coming from above.

"Figures! So how are you going to get up there."

"Oh gee, I don't know. Maybe you can carry me up there since you have wings?" Cleo asked in a mock guess.

"Yeah, I don't think so. I'd rather just kick back and watch you try and find a way up there yourself."

" _You no good, lazy-ass, tarred-and-feathered, Disney villain reject!_ "

"Don't try to flatter me..."

"Um, excuse me." Cleo turned toward the speaker who happened to be Malo. She glanced at the others and realized they were looking at her funny. "Sorry to interrupt your obviously long-distance talk with the 'no good, lazy ass, something, something reject', but can I have a word with you?"

"Is it something _important?_ 'Cuz I don't have time to listen to anymore of your cynical opinions!"

"I'll make it quick. What I said earlier, I'll admit, was uncalled for. So just to to show no hard feelings, I'll give you a free oil refill for your lantern, with the purchase of another item. A good deal, don't you think?"

"Well-"

"GUYS, GUYS COME QUICK!" Shad suddenly shouted from a distance. "YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE THIS!"

The group turned and ran over to see what all the fuss was about. Cleo had an uneasy feeling. What's happened _now?_ Did someone else die? Kidnapped? Did Chakal come? Or Ghirahim or Ganondorf? She wouldn't find out what it was just standing there. She joined them to check it out.

"Whoa! What is that?! I've never seen a bird _that_ big!" As soon as she heard it, her heart leapt. Immediately, she knew what it was they were talking about. As she approached the gathered group, she saw it sitting in the rubble, jerking its head left and right, wondering where it was. It was a large black bird, similar to a shoebill with a tail like a shiba inu. When it made a noise of fear and distress, its call sounded like an eagle's shriek.

"Everyone, back up! We don't want to frighten it!" Shad sat down by it, reaching out to touch it. It tried to bite at him and he quickly pulled back. "It's alright... You're fine..." He tried again and was able to physically comfort it. " _Never_ in my entire life did I think to ever see this historical marvel thought long extinct."

"...What is it?" Talo asked.

"It's a loftwing," Cleo replied.

"That's right!" Shad said in surprise. "Are you a historian as well?"

"Of... a sort..." The loftwing stood up clumsily and shrieked again. One of its wings was flapping wildly, but the other hardly moved, just hanging limp. "It's hurt!" It tried to walk and Cleo noticed it was putting less pressure on one leg than the other. "I saw it crash down earlier! But with all the chaos, I couldn't even tell it was something alive. It needs help."

"Come on! Help me with it." Shad wrapped his arm around it and the others came and too held onto it, lifting it up and carrying it to the sanctuary. It wasn't heavy, having hollow bones like all other birds, but its size required all of them to take him to safety before another fire storm could come. They laid it down next to Epona who turned toward it and sniffed curiously.

Colin patched it up as best he could. "Its really beautiful. I've never seen anything like it before."

"And sadly, we most likely never will again," said Shad. "Some recently uncovered, ancient text said that there used to be hundreds of them many eons ago, back when Hylians used to live up in the sky and used them as mounts. But we haven't seen a single one alive in this age until now. My theory is, after the Hylians moved down to live on land, the loftwings started dying out over the centuries, having no humans to depend on. For all we know this could be the last of its kind."

They all looked at the loftwing. It seemed to look bereft, like it knew what they were saying.

"Well, it needs to depend on us now," said Cleo. "I'm going to find a way to return it to the sky, somehow."

"And how are you going to do that?" asked Malo. "With the weather so hellish."

"I'll think of something..."

"Cleo..." Shad spoke up. "If you do find a way up there, I would like to come with you." She looked at him. "I know you have some important errand, you must have a reason for coming here. But being a fellow historian, I'm sure you understand why I want to come."

"Sure, of course. But only if we can get up there. Just look after the loftwing."

Cleo walked over to Malo's shop (that had moved underground) and got her free oil refill and bought more supplies for her quest. But there were no potions for sale. "Sorry, we're out right now. The Deku shrub that supplies this store is on his way though with the item in question."

"But isn't that dangerous? Him being a plant?"

"I already sent the postman to warn him of the storm. It might be awhile before he gets here because of it. You'll have to wait if you want the potion."

"Alright..." she sighed. She was hoping to cure the loftwing quickly. She left the sanctuary.

"You know you could try the cannon," Xibalba suggested.

"Yeah, like I'm going to ask Fyer to drag that old cannon all the way back here from Lake Hylia!"

"Hey, I'm just trying to help a _little!_ "

"Like you were _ever_ any help," she huffed. "Face it, I'm in the cul-de-sac. I don't think there's anyone else alive that knows how to get to the sky." A thought struck her. "But I'll bet someone _dead_ might have a clue or two."

* * *

It took her a bit to find some solid cover before laying herself down (finding a nice place in the ancient cannon chamber to "take a quick nap") and enter the Land of the Dead. She headed over to the graveyard, expecting to see plenty of stalfi hanging around. To her surprise, there was only one misshapen stalfos, lumbering around the tombstones. She approached him from behind. "Excuse me." He didn't respond, he just kept on lumbering. "Excuse me!" she said louder.

"Huh?" He looked around. "Was that a bird?"

"EXCUSE ME, SIR!" she shouted.

He finally turned around. "Oh, hi," he said dopily. "Did you say something?"

Cleo facepalmed. She realized this guy had serious trouble hearing. "WHERE! IS! EVERYONE!?"

"Where is... a berry bun? I don't know."

"I! NEED! HELP!"

"You eat kelp? Why would you eat kelp?"

This was getting nowhere. "THERE! IS! FIRE! RAIN!"

"A... mire drain? What mire?"

"FIRE! RAIN!" Her bellow became echoey in the empty graveyard.

"Oh, you want to ask about the storm! Why didn't you say so?"

"I DID SAY SO!"

"Okay, okay. Yeah, there's not many stalfolks around here now because of it. There's something funny with that fire. It don't just hurt the livin' it can hurt us stalfolks too."

"WHAT ABOUT YOU!?" Cleo pointed at him to make sure he understood.

"Me? I have to watch over the grave. It's my job, both in life and death."

"I NEED TO STOP THE STORM!"

"Wha-I'm sorry. Can you repeat that?" After she did, loud slow and clear, he said. "So... you want to put a stop to it?"

"That's what she said," Xibalba answered.

"Well..." The grave watcher scratched his skull. "If you're going to try and solve this problem, the people you'll need to turn to are the Composer Bros. Their music is supposed to have magic powers. I'm sure they'll know what to do about this."

"GREAT! WHERE ARE THEY!?"

"Uh, they're uh. Oh! Give me a second to remember..." He fisted his forehead to try and think. "Oh yeah! They are in the Kakariko windmill."

"BUT! THERE! IS! NO!-"

"I don't mean _this_ Kakariko. I meant the other one. That one has a windmill by _that_ graveyard."

"THE HIDDEN VILLAGE!?"

"Yes! Yes that one. However, the graveyard is blocked by magic by the Composer Bros. 'cuz they don't want to be disturbed."

"HOW DO I GET THERE!?"

"Well... there is one way. There's a secret tunnel that connects between the two graveyards. The entrance is right underneath my tombstone. Right over there." He pointed to the tombstone in question.

"THANK YOU!" Cleo ran over to it and was going to push it out of the way.

"Wait! I wouldn't do that if I was you."

Cleo looked at him, confused. "WHY!?"

"'Cuz the tunnel has a ticking time bomb of a booby trap. It'll trigger once you break the surface and in just a few short minutes, all of the tunnel ground will collapse, dropping into a pit full of redeads." Cleo instantly felt a deeply cold chill upon the mention of those horrible things, her hair standing on end. "And it's a looooooong way to the windmill from here. You can't outrun it."

"Okay," she said, not bothering to raise her voice this time.

"Are you alright stalgirl? You look pale."

"I'm fine... I-" There was a boom of thunder. It seemed to snap her out of it. "I gotta go!"

* * *

Cleo woke up in the chamber. "Well that's another dead end!"

"What's the matter? Can't handle a few undead abominations with their shriveled clawed hands and their red pinprick eyes-"

"XIBALBA, PLEASE! Don't talk about them! Don't even describe them!" She could tell, by his gleefully creepy tone, that he was doing this on purpose. "I'm gonna check on the loftwing."

"...and their lipless skull-gnawing jaws..." he whispered, just as creepily.


	19. Chapter 18

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 18

Cleo went to see Epona who was lying next to the loftwing which had its head tucked under its wing. The booming of fireballs had been going on for ten minutes and she came closer to comfort her mount. "Are you worried about the storm or for your friend?" Epona responded with a low rumble.

She heard panicked voices coming from upstairs. "Keep the door open! C'MON, YOU CAN MAKE IT!" Starting faint, there was the sound of panting from someone running, growing louder with each second, and then came the thud of a body hitting the ground and the slam of a door. "Hurry! Downstairs!" There was shuffling and she saw some people stumbling into the cellar. It was Colin and Luda accompanied by the postman. "That was a close one!" said Colin.

"Boy! Who says this job isn't dangerous?"

Malo immediately walked over to the postman. "Did you deliver the letter, like I asked?"

"Yeah, I did. And you got a response letter." He took out the envelope while humming a victory tune.

"Thanks. You better take a break until the storm has passed." Malo opened the envelope and scanned it. He suddenly looked angry. "You've _got_ to be kidding me!"

"What is it?" asked Cleo.

"The supplier said he can't come! He's stuck on Death Mountain because of a rockslide blocking the way!"

"No way!"

"Yes way. I'm afraid without the potion, the loftwing won't recover for a week or so."

"I can't wait that long! I have to get up to the sky right now!"

"Unless we can remove the blockade with bombs, there's no way we can get that potion."

"Well, isn't that just great! Yet another dead end!" Cleo stormed off up the stairs and out the door (the fire storm had finally ended).

"Hey kid. Calm down, will ya?"

"Don't "calm down" _me_ , tar face!" Cleo noticed something fluttering nearby and did a double take.

It was a butterfly, which was a surprise to her because of how it had been able to survive out in this freakish weather. After a couple of seconds, she realized with amazement that it was a Blessed Butterfly. It fluttered over to its fellows near a rock wall. She thought of something. She took out the guitar and strummed a bit and a glowing square outline appeared on the wall. Then she took out the magic brush and drew an upside down Q.

With a magical pop, bombs appeared, rolling at her feet. "Looks like I'll have to force my way through the dead end."

* * *

Cleo climbed up the path, making her way past strong geysers with the iron boots and using her cape at other geysers to more quickly get to higher places. She was sure she was going to run into the blockade, but when she was almost to the Gorons' home, she became confused.

"Weird, I can see the entrance over there. But where's the wall caused by the rockslide?" As she approached, the storm started again. "What? Already?!" She quickly covered herself with her cape. Although the magic barrier protected her from the fireballs, the power in them was so great they actually caused damage to the cloth. As she was hiding, she heard a loud crack and tumble of rock.

When she lifted the cape off, she saw that there was a rock wall blocking the way _now._ "Okay, first there's no barricade like it said in the letter," said Xibalba. "Then there was _after_ that message was delivered. That's just spooky."

"Uh, we can figure out this freaky time paradox later." Cleo got some bombs ready and rolled them at the rocks, blowing them up.

As she entered the main chamber, the first thing she saw were two Gorons having a go at each other on the wrestling platform. One of them was wearing a mask, but the other was a Goron she recognized as Darbus, a large (much larger than any other Goron) but gentle natured Goron. He managed to push his opponent out of the ring easily. She looked around the cheering crowd (half of the Gorons were wearing masks as well), trying to find someone different. To her relief, she found the Deku scrub moping in the front row seats.

She approached him. "Excuse me. Are you the supplier for Malo Mart?"

"Huh? Who are you?"

"I'm Cleo, I overheard Malo saying you were stuck on Death Mountain."

"Well uh..." He looked guilty for some reason.

"What's wrong?"

"You know full well what! You saw the truth for yourself didn't ya?"

Cleo was confused. Nothing he said made any sense. "What's your name anyway?"

"Yew," he said.

"I told you, my name is Cleo. What is yours?"

"It's Yew."

"What do you mean 'it's me'? 'It's me' what?"

"My name is Yew, you dumb blonde!"

"Oh!... right..." she felt embarrassed. "Listen, how did you know there was going to be a rockslide later?"

"Um, I didn't. I... uh... you know I made that up, don't ya?"

"But on my way here, there _was_ a rockslide blocking the way, just now."

"Yeah well - Oh, I see! Well that was just an amazing coincidence. Nothing more."

"But if there was never... Why did you make it up?"

"Because... Um..." He seemed hesitant.

"Look if it's something that's _so_ important to keep secret, I'll stay out of it. The least you can do is give me the bottle of potion you were shipping. There's a very rare, if not extinct bird in trouble and he needs it badly."

"I wish I could help you. But I'm in a bit of trouble too... ... I suppose I can tell you. You have a trustworthy face. Just promise you won't tell Malo about this."

"Okay, I promise."

"You should also cross your heart and hope you'll die," Xibalba added. Cleo rolled her eyes.

"You see, I'm in heavy debt and am about to become bankrupt. I owe another Deku scrub a lot of money and even if I sell the stuff to Malo, it would not be enough to cover my dues in time. That's why I'm up here at the Goron Heroes Memorial Tournament. I'm hoping to win some money from betting on the Darmani team. That's the guys in the masks. But the first one lost to the Darunia team."

"So you're saying you're not going to give me the bottle unless you can win a bet?"

"Well that's the way of the world, miss. Everybody has to look out for themselves." Cleo placed her hand to her face. It figures he'd be selfish like that.

"Do I have to do everything myself?" She marched over to Gor Coron, the Goron elder. "Excuse me, sir. But do you allow late entrees?"

He thought for a moment. "Well yes, if someone wants to participate. Who's entering?"

"I'm entering myself, Cleo Hayster." Cleo heard a couple of Gorons roar with laughter. She shot them a look. "I'm not joking!"

"You should go home little human," one of them said.

"Yeah! This wrestling match is no place for girls," said another.

" _Again_ with the sexism?"

"Silence yourselves!" Gor Coron barked at them sternly. "Do not shame our race with your disregard, little brothers!" They instantly went quiet, their gleeful faces fell just as fast. They seemed to show great respect to their elder. Coron turned back to Cleo. "I admire your bravery, young lady. But are you certain you should be fighting with the Goron tribes? I don't want you seriously hurt."

"I'm sure. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Coron warmly smiled in amusement. "Well Cleo, I won't stop you. If you do feel confident enough-"

"There's one other thing. I'd like to be part of the Darmani team. I hope that's okay."

"So you're going to represent the Goron tribe from Snowhead. That's fine. You may take your place."

"Great idea kid! Now I'll have to clean up your mangled body after this," Xibalba groaned. "Even _I_ wouldn't make a wager like that!"

"It'll be fine."

Cleo waited by the Snowhead Gorons for her turn. As she waited, she put the iron boots on. Some of the Gorons looked down on her like they were thinking she was only going to slow them down. When her name was called, she stomped up to the platform. Her first opponent was one of the Gorons who had mocked her before.

"You'd best walk out of this ring little human," he said in a snide whisper. "You don't belong here."

"I'm not going anywhere, _Moron._ "

He glared at her. "Then I'm not going to show any mercy, even if you _are_ a girl."

A gong sounded and the Goron charged at her before she could react, shoving her back hard. Cleo dug her iron boots into the ground and stopped herself just before the white line. She pushed him off of her and dodged to the side as he tried to grab her again. She managed to get him in a hold and shove him back. He tried to push her away, but Cleo held on as tightly as she could with all the strength she could muster, which seemed greater than normal. Frantically, he continued his attempts to push her off, surprisingly to no effect. The sudden power she felt inside kept growing and it gave her the stamina needed to push him off completely.

Gor Coron announced her the winner and the Goron got up looking red faced. All of the other Gorons stared at her with dumfounded expressions for a few seconds and then started cheering.

"Okay I'll admit, you're better than I thought," Xibalba said a little humbly. Cleo wasn't listening, she was too busy pondering over what just happened. The strength she had was not her own, even though it came from inside her. She sat back down, thinking.

The tournament continued and Cleo was called into the fight two more times before the finals, and she won each time. Both the Darunia and Darmani teams were tied. Cleo was called one more time, her last opponent being Darbus. He was actually nice enough to wish her luck. When the fight began, Darbus proved to be much stronger than the Gorons she'd fought before. Even with the mysterious strength, she was having a hard time getting him to move an inch. And he managed to lift her and slam her to the floor despite her having the boots on. She realized she couldn't use her own weight to beat him, but needed to use _his_ weight instead. When he tried to grab her, she ducked underneath him, tripped him off his feet and lifted him up over her head. The force of the lift caused him to tumble down and roll out of the ring.

The gong rang throughout the caverns and the Gorons got wild. They, the Darmani team, Darunia team and spectators alike, surrounded her and lifted her up, chanting her name.


	20. Chapter 19

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue. (Yew is another of my OCs, BTW)

* * *

Chapter 19

Cleo was standing before Gor Coron and Yew. "So that's what it's about is it?" said the elder. "Yes, I have heard tales from our exploring ancestors of giant birds from the sky world. To find out one still lives is miraculous."

"It might not live long if Yew doesn't give me that damn bottle, if you'll pardon my language," said Cleo.

"Well, I think it's crazy for you to take on those burly Gorons, even if you're trying to save an endangered bird," Yew stated. Cleo shot him a glare. "But, since you're obviously so determined, and managed to help me win my big bet that will pay off my debt, I guess you earned it."

"I can agree on one thing," Coron started, giving Yew a look that showed he didn't think much about the scrub's selfishness either. "Cleo here has the stubborn determination of a Goron. I'm even considering deeming her 'big brother'."

Yew walked up to her and gave her the bottle of potion. "You _do_ have my thanks. Take care of that loftwing." Cleo nodded in response.

"You know..." Coron said slowly. "You actually remind me of that young man who wore the same green clothing you're wearing now, who also earned the title of 'big brother'."

"I know..."

"I take it you also know him. How is our big brother, Link?"

Facing the new Resistance group before, she couldn't bring herself to tell them as they were very close to him in the past. But she was not shy of telling Gor Coron who was made of much tougher stuff. "He's dead..."

"Dead?" another voice said out of nowhere.

Cleo whipped around to see someone was standing at the cave's doorway without her knowing and was utterly surprised by who it was. "Colin?!"

Colin gave her a look of hurt shock, like a friend was insulting him behind his back. "Is that true? He's really dead?" Cleo didn't answer, she felt mute. And her silence must've been a confirmation as he added "Nice to know you kept that from us." He turned and walked out.

"Wait! Colin!"

"Oh, busted," said Xibalba, although his tone sounded more sympathetic than mocking.

"I am _so_ sorry Cleo," said Coron sadly.

She looked back at him. "It's okay... I should be going now... Thank you." Cleo ran off.

Yew then thought of something. "She forgot to receive her champion belt, didn't she?"

Cleo ran after Colin. "Colin, wait! Please!" She grabbed his shoulder. "Listen! I-" She stopped when she saw the postman running toward them, his flag was now snapped in half and dangling. "Now what?"

He tripped and fell at their feet. "M-message from Malo!... The loftwing... stolen... whole group... defeated by... a huge vicious man... with huge vicious mustache..."

"The loftwing's stolen?!" cried Colin.

"Chakal!" Cleo bolted down the mountain before Colin could say anything to her or ask her who Chakal was.

"Actually, I think I should give you a lift _this_ time," said Xibalba and before Cleo knew it, she was lifted off her feet and taken up into the sky once again by the angel of death.

He gently dropped her at the gate of Kakariko where she could see Chakal riding on a giant boar with a large cage containing the loftwing in tow. The brute nearly ran her over and she leapt and rolled to the side, watching him ride away. There was a shrieking neigh behind her and she saw Epona galloping right to her without having to be summoned. Cleo bound onto her from behind and her steed immediately sped toward Chakal.

She raced over the Eldin field after him. Halfway across, Cleo caught up and tried to swipe at the rope tied to the cage, but Chakal forcefully knocked her off of Epona onto the ground. She quickly got back onto her mount and gave chase again.

She reached the Bridge of Eldin and saw Chakal on the other side. He untied the rope and turned to face her. " **If you want this bird back Hayster, you will have to go through me!** "

Cleo readied Epona for the charge, and charge they did. She and Chakal dashed towards each other. She only had a second... She missed him and was hurt by one of his machetes. She stopped right before the cage and swung Epona around. Ignoring the pain, she charged again, trying to focus on her target. Time slowed down... she narrowly ducked the blade... she drew the mortal draw... the hidden strength returned in an instant... Chakal was hit and sent flying... he fell down into the black chasm with a roar.

"I guess that's one nuisance out of the way."

"... ...No, Xibalba... That strike didn't kill him."

"Hm?!" Xibalba sounded surprised.

"I can still sense his aura... he's still alive... We haven't seen the last of him."

* * *

Cleo and Epona towed the loftwing back to the safety of the Kakariko sanctuary. As he (Cleo was sure then that it was a "he") laid himself in his bed of hay, with Epona laying next to him, Cleo fed him the potion.

"Good. Now that he has some potion, he'll recover in an hour or two," confirmed Malo while Luda tended to his and Talo's wounds. "However, even if he can fly again, there's still no way to get through that storm."

"I'll worry about that next." Cleo was thinking of going to Captain Keeta for a stalfos technique that would hopefully help her get to the Composer Bros.

Colin walked into the shelter. "The loftwing! Is it alright?"

"He's fine... he'll be fine now," Cleo answered comfortingly.

"What about the bandit?"

"He fell off the Eldin Bridge."

"So he's dead?"

"...No... it would take a lot more than that to kill that guy. You remember King Bulblin? The one who took you and who Link had to face to save you?" Her voice started getting bitter.

Colin had a pause before speaking. "Chakal... he was the one who killed Link... wasn't he..."

"What!?" Talo exclaimed. He and his brother looked at Colin in stunned disbelief. Luda stopped her tending and looked at him in worry.

"...Yes..." Cleo finally answered after a moment of grim silence. "Ilia and Link Jr. are alright though... You don't don't have to worry about his family."

Colin looked somewhat relieved. "...I'm sorry I got mad and walked out on you before you could explain... I know it's not your fault..."

"...That's okay..."

"Don't worry. We _will_ avenge him."

Talo stood up with a wince. "Colin's right! We'll teach that guy a lesson he'll never forget!"

Cleo smiled as she looked at the Resistance: Malo, Colin, Talo, and Luda. But then noticed someone missing. "Where's Shad?"

At her question, they noticed too. They looked at one another. "Does anyone know where he is?" Colin asked.

"We've been too busy fighting that gorilla to notice anyone in the group going missing," said Malo.

"I remember talking to him just before the fight," said Luda. "I asked him to stay safe. Maybe he's still hiding?"

"He would've had to come out of hiding by now. It's not like him to be that cowardly," said Talo.

Cleo decided to dowse him with the Master Sword. The signal to his aura was pointing toward the ground nearby. She saw a book. "There!"

Colin ran to pick it up. "Strange... He never leaves his notebook laying around like that. He always carries it with him." He opened it to a page that was bookmarked by his dagger.

"Is there anything on that page?"

"No. Just the usual stuff about the sky... Wait... I don't recognize this dagger. This one's completely different..."

Cleo suddenly had a gut wrenching feeling. "Let me see that dagger!" she demanded.

Colin handed it to her and she gasped in horror. It wasn't Shad's at all. It was made of black metal and had a diamond embedded in the blade.

"Ooh, not good... It looks like Ghirahim snatched himself another victim." And Xibalba was right. Now she _knew_ she had to get to the Composer Bros. straight away.

* * *

Cleo warped back to the Ikana Canyon to explain to the captain her need to get to the Composer Bros. and what was necessary to reach them. He suggested using a technique he'd learned from the Gorons called the Rolling Bones. After he gave her the proper training, she returned to the village graveyard where the grave keeper still lumbered around. Cleo noticed Prince Ralis heading toward the grave of his mother in a cave at the back, but paid no further mind.

She went straight to the grave stone that hid the secret entrance. "Are you sure you're ready to-"

" _Don't. Say. A. Word. Of. Them!_ " she cut off Xibalba in an angry tone.

"Feh, you're no fun!"

"Seriously, I don't need anymore nightmare fuel from Hedorah!" She placed her hands firmly against the headstone and pushed with all her might. The old stone uprooted and fell over, leaving soft soil exposed. "I sure hope this Rolling Bones trick is fast enough."

"Don't worry. It will be," the grave keeper said with a chuckle.

"Well, at least that's comforting, coming from an old deaf... Wait a minute! You heard that?! I spoke in a whisper!"

"Ah, well I was only pretending to be deaf, just for a laugh."

"You mean I've been screaming my head off at you for nothing?!" she said, agape.

He shrugged. " _I_ thought it was funny." Cleo facepalmed. Xibalba started laughing. "All right, sorry about that. You know being a gravedigger can get pretty depressing, even after death. So I'll tell you what. I'll escort you through the tunnel."

Cleo stared. "Are you sure about this?"

"Don't worry. I may not look it, but I'm pretty fast on my feet. I can also do the Rolling Bones."

"You're Dampe aren't you?"

"Yep, that's right missy." He chuckled again. "I sure hope you can keep up with me. Ladies first?" Cleo started smiling. He was challenging her to a race and a fun challenge was what she needed to ease the anxiety. She dug her way down into a cavern underneath and Dampe dropped down next to her. It was pitch black there at first and then colored flames started lighting themselves on torches one by one along the walls of a tunnel. Cleo watched the fire continue its self igniting down the long endless tunnel. "The trap has already started. We better get a move on!" He contorted himself into a spinning ball and zipped away. Feeling the exciting rush, she followed suit.


	21. Chapter 20

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 20

The long path to the windmill was like a maze and the only way through quick enough was to follow Dampe who seemed to know the correct turns at the forks. Cleo tried not to lose him in the long winding tunnel and to stay ahead of the collapsing ground chasing her. Sometimes she had to make jumps across pillared bridges over bottomless pits. It took about ten minutes to get to the end and they ended up in an old stone brick room.

Dampe hit a bump and ended up crashing into a wall, his head flying off and spinning on the floor. He laughed giddily. "Whoa-hehehehe! Looks like I was a little too wild with my steering!" Cleo untangled herself, picked his head up and gave it back to his body. "Thanks missy!"

"Where's the windmill?"

"Don't you hear the creaking above you? Just go through that trap door and you're there."

Cleo looked up and saw the door at the top of some stairs. She walked up them and looked back. Dampe was still at the bottom. "Aren't you coming?"

"Nah. It's best you meet the brothers alone. They don't like too many uninvited guests."

"But what about-"

"I'll just be returning to the Land of the Remembered. You go on ahead, missy."

Cleo turned back and pushed open the door. The creaking got much louder as she lifted it up. She was now in a decrepit stone building with a slowly turning wooden shaft. Up higher she could see wooden gears turning and ropes moving through pulleys. The place was loaded with cobwebs and the wood looked like it was about to rot away and collapse, causing her to wonder how it was still operating. She didn't see anyone though, whether it be stalfos or poe. Perhaps they were at the top.

She saw wooden rods on the walls and rotating shaft and used the snake to climb up, slashing stalkeese and staltulas in her way. She got to a wide wooden platform acting as the top floor. The moment she reached it, she heard voices.

"That girl has come a long way, hasn't she Flat?"

"Indeed she has Sharp, braving our trap to reach us."

"But her hard journey to get here may be in vain. If she wants an audience with us, she will have to pay the price."

"If she has any right to seek our musical powers... she must first prove herself or suffer a most horrible fate."

"Yes, Flat... Let's see what this one can do." Cleo quickly put her hand on the hilt of her sword, readying herself for a fight. Then two glowing cloaked poes appeared, one was red with a bushy mustache and the other green with a sleek mustache.

"Look at that Sharp. She thinks she's going into battle," said the green poe.

"That's too cliche. Let's challenge her with something different," said the red poe. He lowered himself to her. "So you came here for our music, have you? Well, even though you got past our trap, it doesn't mean we will just give away our secrets to you. There's always a price to everything, to get something, you must give something."

"And what should I pay you with?"

"Simple, if you want to use our musical gifts, you will have to prove your own musical worth. Show us what you can do."

"How am I supposed to do that?"

"By following our rhythm and memorizing our notes. If you can copy our growing tune, only then can we help you."

"But if you fail," put in the green poe. "We'll play the Melody of Darkness to send you straight to the Land of the Remembered, _permanently!_ "

"Oh boy!" groaned Cleo.

"You better not screw this up, kid! 'Cuz if you do, I'm going to be pissed." Cleo understood perfectly why Xibalba would be pissed since he was on the verge of becoming a widower, but he didn't have to hiss in her ear like that, if he wasn't going to give more positive encouragement. She got the guitar ready.

"Confident, aren't you?" said Sharp.

"Let's see how well you can play," said Flat. Both poes took out their batons. One of them floated over to start the metronome. As it tick-tick-ticked away, Sharp flicked his baton thrice and a musical note sounded each time, followed by Flat playing the same. "Now let's see you copy us."

Those three notes were easy. Cleo played them without effort.

"That's just the beginning," Sharp said with a smirk. "But it's going to get much longer and harder. I hope you're ready."

They continued playing the same music, adding a new note each round. Starting from three, it grew in seven more rounds until there were ten different notes to keep memorized. Cleo kept a sharp ear and tried not to panic. She had to pause once or twice to remember what the next note was. She slowly played all ten notes perfectly, despite very nearly slipping up (one of them tried to jump scare her).

They were quite impressed and pleased. They began applauding. "Bravo, young bard. You have truly a keen talent for music, doesn't she Flat?"

"Indeed she does, Sharp."

"Okay, now that I passed your test, can you help me in return?" Cleo requested.

"Of course. What is it you ask from us in our magic?"

"There's a big fire storm raging in the new Kakariko Town. It's literally raining fireballs and destroying everything. I was told you can use your music to put a stop to it. Can you do it?"

The brothers looked at each other, pondering over this. "Yes we can. But we will not be going there," Sharp said.

" _What?!_ " both Cleo and Xibalba said at the same time.

"If you want to stop the fire rain, you must do it with _your_ music," Flat told her. "This is _your_ responsibility, not ours."

"There is only one song that is capable of neutralizing the curse you described. We're just going teach it to you, then you must go back to the village and play that song as the fire falls from the sky."

"Than teach it to me, fast!" Cleo urged. "We may be running out of time."

"Very well," said Sharp.

"Let us begin," said Flat.

* * *

Cleo woke up in the cellar after having learned the song. She heard thunder booming and hurried outside. As she ran through the Kakariko Village, the fire rained around her. She stopped and got the guitar out, but only strummed a few times before she had to jump out of the way of the fireballs.

She needed to keep a cool head. She watched the skies carefully. Cleo started again.

Colin opened the window of the sanctuary and he, along with his friends, peeked outside. "What's going on?"

"Cleo!" Malo exclaimed. "What _are_ you doing?"

"Hey! Get in here!" Talo shouted. "Do you want to get fried?"

"Wait... I know that song," said Luda. "My father told me a legend about it and of the magic it brings... It is called... the Song of Storms."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" asked Malo.

"Just watch..."

Cleo played on as fire continued to fall. One small spark broke off from one of the fireballs and was heading right toward her face... When it hit her forehead... it felt like a cold wet drip. Another wet drop hit her and another and another. More booms of thunder came and the fire was fading away into smoke with the descent of real rain. Within minutes, Cleo was soaked through her clothes.

The group burst through the door. They were staring wide eyed at the sky then suddenly with big grins on their faces, started running around wildly, whooping and splashing in puddles. Malo, the only one not acting like a goofball, walked calmly to Cleo. "I won't deny it... You've done good." He gave her a genuine smile.

There was a creak from the sanctuary door and Cleo saw the loftwing emerge and let out an epic screech. Cleo went to him and stroked his feathers. "I'm taking the loftwing home and then I'm going to look for Shad," she called out to Malo.

"Careful up there."

Cleo smiled and ran up a hill to begin her climb to the highest point in the whole village, giving a shrill whistle on the way up. The loftwing took off and followed her. After getting to the top, she ran right to the edge of a roof and jumped off. The loftwing swooped and caught her on his back, then headed upward with Cleo clinging on.

They entered an opening in the clouds and she could hear thunder claps around her. But Cleo was unafraid, she was feeling the adrenaline as the loftwing flew through the tunnel of cloud until they broke through. She was nearly blinded by the sudden appearance of the sun. It took a few minutes for her to adjust to the harsh light after spending so long in overcast weather. She opened her eyes and felt her chest swell at the sights around her. A world where there was nothing but clouds and floating islands.

Cleo steered the loftwing around them, whooping and screaming with full-on glee. One nose-dive with a wild swerve startled an Oocca sitting on a floating rock and it started jabbering at her in its weird language. She burst out laughing.

"So what do you think of this experience?" Xibalba asked, sounding like he was smiling. "You got to admit, flying is _very_ exciting..."

"Yeah!" she shouted over the roaring wind. "For once, I agree with you... It's cool to have wings!" There was a surprisingly pleasant chuckle in response.

Cleo took out the sword to dowse Shad's aura and followed it to a large dark cloud. They flew inside and found a small floating structure with an extended stone pier. She steered the loftwing over it and jumped off, slowing down her fall with her cape. She landed a little harder than anticipated, probably because of the few small holes the fire had made in her cape. "I'll need to replace this." She heard a shriek from a distance and looked around. The circling black loftwing started shrieking in answer, then there was some back and forth. "There's another one?"

"Must be. I'm guessing that's a mating call."

The loftwing made a sharp turn and flew off, disappearing into the dark clouds. "Good. I'm glad to know there's still a chance for them." Cleo walked down the pier to double stone doors. She was about to push them open when she heard voices from the other side, mostly a mumbling chant. She pressed her ear to the door's crack.

"Why are you doing this?" It was Shad's voice. He sounded scared.

"Because my dear friend-" Cleo's nerves got a jolt from the second voice. "-I needed to give little miss Cleo a bit of a motivational push. I know these heroic types always manage to overcome even the most strenuous, agonizing, exhausting trials when people's lives are on the line." The chanting resumed.

"But what in the name of Hylia do you hope to get Cleo to do by endangering me?"

"Now I'm not going to spoil anything, in case you _do_ survive. I don't want to risk you giving away to Cleo the surprise my master has in store for her."

"Of course not... ... It's clear to me that you're far too clever to do that. I'm even starting to doubt if Cleo could ever find out what you're up to in time."

"Indeed not! There's no way she could ever know what the sun spirits she's possessing are going to do."


	22. Chapter 21

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 21

"And by the time she does realize our plan, they will have already played their part and Cleo's purpose will be done!"

"So you're using her!"

The chanting abruptly stopped. There was a brief moment of silence. "You sly dog! Sweet talking me like that!" Ghirahim muttered in both anger and admiration. "Fortunately, the ritual is about complete, so there is no more need of your buttering. I've said enough already, now it's time to wrap up this present for Cleo!"

She knew she couldn't hesitate any longer and pushed her way through the heavy doors. "Ghirahim!"

The demon lord whipped around, eyes wide. "Oh my! You're here much sooner than I estimated!"

" _I'm_ surprised _you_ made it up here so quickly, with your limited teleportation!"

Ghirahim gave her a half smile. "Were you eavesdropping just now? _Shame_ on you, naughty girl."

"You let Shad go! I only came up here to get the page piece, there's no point in dragging him into all this! So why do it?"

"Why? The very same reason I imprisoned that sugar queen... just to rile you up and see the beautiful display of despair on your face. Have you seen her yet, the goddess? How glorious she is in frozen sorrow, never to speak again?"

"HOW DARE YOU!" The red skull around her neck exploded with a harsh green light and Xibalba towered above him in a terrifying rage (terrifying to Cleo, but Ghirahim only smiled wider). "I'LL SHOW YOU WHO ELSE WILL NEVER SPEAK AGAIN!" he boomed as loud as the thunder, trying to swipe at Ghirahim.

The demon lord dissolved into diamond mist before Xibalba could grab him, leaving behind a malicious laugh. Xibalba looked around almost blindly. "I've stalled you long enough. Enjoy finding him in the Temple of Rain!"

Cleo just then realized what he meant and finally turned her attention back to Shad laying on a pedestal. By that time, he was engulfed in a light and was screaming. Her dowsing told her his life was draining. She rushed to him, but Xibalba grabbed her. "No! You're life will drain too if you get too close!" So now she could only watch as Shad fell into a coma-like sleep.

When the light died, Cleo ran to him and felt his face. It was cold. She slammed her fists on the pedestal. "Damn it! We're always one step behind!" She looked back at her partner. He was still seething, if only internally. She had never seen him that angry before. "I'm going after Shad." He looked at her and nodded. He zipped back into the red skull. Cleo laid herself next to Shad and let the snake bite her.

She found herself in a large series of temples in the sky. Some were connected with bridges while others were farther apart. The buildings that weren't connected to any other had ramps. She used the Rolling Bones to fly off the ramps to get to the next temple. Others took more complicated tactics and maneuvering, like certain combinations of Rolling Bones, snake swinging, and/or cape parachuting. There was one temple connected to the next by a floorless hallway. The walls of that hallway had embedded statues holding stone basins. She tried chucking a bomb into the nearest basin and the explosion caused the statue, along with a slab of wall, to fall over and make a platform. In another temple there was an elevator platform held up by ropes. The ropes were linked to a seesaw made of a hollow tube and above the tube's opening was the end of a long winding pipe, but there was no water coming from it. Cleo found the water source blocked by stone and a ladder climbing maze between her and the blockade. She had to drop a bomb into the right entrance hole so it landed on the stone instead of out into the sky. Once the pipe was clear, the water poured into the seesaw tube, tilting it over and over and making the elevator go up and down. After hitching a ride, she faced off against a stalmaster and earned the Air Bow. She used it to hit crystal switches that were too far for her slingshot or Riboomerang. Then she activated another elevator by solving a bigger and harder climbing ladder maze and soon came to a chest containing the next combination slab for the big door.

She used the symbols on the slab and unlocked the door.

Cleo was outside on a long bridge ending with a ramp. She rolled down it and onto a huge floating platform surrounded by a stilted ramp that spiraled upward. "Cleo!" someone shouted. She looked up to see the end of the ramp high above and a stalfos tied to a rope dangling off the edge. A closer look showed it was Shad. She was about to begin her climb when she was startled by a crack of thunder and a lightning strike that hit the center of the platform. When it had gone, a giant lizard with a feathery plume for a mustache towered above her, wielding a huge ax. It lifted it's head to roar and breathe out a torrent of fire balls. It looked down at her, its pupils becoming slits.

 **Pyro Daira:**  
 **Chaazak**

He spat out more flames that rained down onto the platform arena and Cleo ran to avoid getting hit. She couldn't use her cape again, knowing it would get further damaged. After the fire rain had cleared, the lizard man swung its ax down at her. She rolled out of the way and it stuck into the floor. She curled into a ball and rolled up the long ramp. As she traveled up and around Chaazak, it tried to breath fire at her. Cleo outran the fire and reached the top above the lizard where she could see a red orb in its head. Chaazak looked up at her as she leapt off with her cape ready and it swatted her down. She realized she needed to give it a distraction before she could get on top of its head. She made her way up again, got her bow out, and quickly fired an arrow into one of its eyes. She leapt onto its head and stabbed down into the orb a few times before Chaazak could shake her off. She parachuted down and started her climb once again. The lizard shot flames ahead of her to cut her off but she stopped herself in a flash. After it exhausted itself, she continued her rolling. The mustache plume ruffled wildly to shield his eyes so Cleo had to keep shooting to slice away the feathers and hit the eyes. She got her chance and jumped onto the orb in an ending blow.

Chaazak gave a shrill scream, thrashing about until it collapsed. Glowing smoke poured out of the body as it greatly shrunk down to normal size in a soft flash and the lizard turned back into a skeletal man with a big mustache and sombrero. Cleo saw the smoke turning into a shapeless specter. She quickly pulled out her cape, ready to defend herself, but it didn't do any good. The spirit flew right through it and into her chest. She collapsed and her mind faded into the same vision as before.

 _The ground began to shake... Forests ripped apart... buildings and skyscrapers toppled... sounds of people screaming and loud crashing of rocks... The world tore itself apart and the light of the sun died..._

Cleo snapped out of the vision instantly, finding herself on the ground. She got up and climbed the ramp one more time. While doing so she began to suspect that the vision she kept getting over and over was trying to tell her something critical. Something related to all that was happening in her quest.

At the top, she pulled Shad up and untied him. "Oh, Cleo! I was so worried when I saw you collapse. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine..." Cleo couldn't stop thinking about the terrible event that might actually unfold in the very near future.

"By the way, this small chest was tied to me." He gave her the chest. She opened it and got the next page piece.

"We need to go help that old dude down there," she said. They walked back to the unconscious old man and roused him awake.

There was a low groan. "Caramba... arthritis acting up again..." He picked himself up. "Wha... What happened?... What am I doing here?"

"You've been gone awhile... Um..."

"Oh! Where are my manners? The name's Luis Sanchez."

"Uh, you're the one who lost his head, right?"

He stared. "How did you-"

"Manolo told me. He also told me you're missing and you need to get back to your family."

"I am? How?"

"Manolo will explain. Right now, I have a friend to escort back to Kakariko."

"Very well... Oh...! I'll bet mama is very mad at me!"

"How do we get out of here?" Shad asked. "Aren't we dead?"

"Don't worry, we're not really," said Cleo. "Just... sleeping." She held the red skull. "We're ready Xibalba."

* * *

Cleo and Shad woke up back on the pedestal. As they got up, Shad said "Once we get back to the surface, I'm going to try and do some serious research for anything on sun spirits. As soon as I find anything important, I'll send you a letter."

"Well if you are, then you should also look up any prophecies related to earthquakes while you're at it."

"Really? Why?"

"Because-" _**BAMB!**_ Both Cleo and Shad toppled to the ground as the whole stone building shook with a violent jerk. "WHAT THE HELL!" The building jerked wildly again and a large chunk of it was knocked away into the dark clouds. Cleo looked out and saw a huge shadowy silhouette flying by. "WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE!"

Cleo grabbed Shad and together they shoved the doors open and ran down the long pier. The big... thing came back and smashed its way through a part of the pier they'd been on mere seconds ago. They kept running, not daring to look back. As they rushed to get away from their attacker, they heard smashing of rock following close behind. _**SMASH! CRASH! BOOM!**_

They stopped short right at the end of the pier, nearly falling right off. "We're trapped!" Shad cried. There was very little pier left.

"We need to jump!"

"What?!" But Shad didn't have any objections when he looked back at the mysterious attacker fast approaching. As it was about to hit, they both leapt off and fell through the foggy sky.


	23. Chapter 22

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 22

Cleo gave a shrill whistle. At first nothing seemed to be happening, but after several intense seconds they saw the loftwing heading for them. He caught them both and she took immediate control. But they were not out of danger. She could sense the sky monster following them. It appeared to be relentless. She looked back and saw a shadowy silhouette in the shape of a winged snake. Cleo took out her bow, arrows, and bombs. She tied the bombs onto the arrows and lit one, then took careful aim.

She briefly saw the face of a plumed serpent, with its mouth wide open and she fired her bomb arrow. It exploded upon impact and the snake made an angry hiss, Cleo kept firing at its face until it was forced to give up the chase and fly away.

"What is _he_ doing here?" Xibalba suddenly asked.

Cleo grabbed the red skull. "Wait a minute! You _know_ this thing?! What was that?!"

Xibalba didn't answer her. He kept mumbling to himself. "There's no way... It's been eons... Why here? Why _now!_ "

With a frustrated grunt, she stuffed the skull under her tunic. "Fine! Don't tell me!"

They were finally out of the dark clouds and soared across the sky for a while until they came to a small floating island where there were ancient remnants of a large building. As they approached it, they heard the call from another loftwing coming from the island. When they got close, they could see a red loftwing sitting in a nest resting on top of a fallen chandelier. Their mount landed and Cleo and Shad hopped off. The black loftwing approached the red one and rubbed his beak on the other's.

It got up from its nest and Cleo gasped. "Shad, look!" She and Shad approached the nest with a captivated intake of breath. There were four eggs, all were heavily cracked and there were tapping sounds. There was a sharp _peep!_

They stayed by the nest a bit until all four heads of the loftwing chicks (blue, red, purple, and orange) popped out. " _Awwwwwww!_ "

The two loftwings let out loud screeches and the hatchlings made baby screeches nonstop. "Looks like the species will survive after all," said Shad. "Let's get back."

"Hey Shad, can you whistle."

"Well, yeah I cannn-Uh-oh!"

"Then start whistling!" Cleo shoved him off a cliff so fast he didn't have time to move out of the way.

"Cleo, you are devious!" Xibalba said in an admiring tone.

Despite his sudden panic, Shad did what she told him to do. Smiling, Cleo jumped off the cliff herself and whistled as well. The loftwing parents took off and caught them both. Shad's screams of terror turned into cheers as he flew on the mother loftwing. And the two flew down toward the surface.

* * *

Cleo had returned to the museum and added the page piece to the Book of Life. Xibalba came up to her to retrieve his eye. "That was Quetzalcoatl, wasn't it?" she stated.

"Well, somebody's done their homework." He put it back in his socket.

"Don't get smart with me!" She gave a tired sigh. "So why did he attack us?"

"Us?" he asked with a don't-make-me-laugh huff. "I'm not sure... From what I know of him, he's usually not aggressive. You must have done something wrong."

"Or maybe it's _you_ who's done something wrong."

He scoffed. " _Me?_ "

"Yeah, you're probably doing something you're not supposed to, despite your godly position."

"How dare you! Do you even remember who you're talking to?!"

"You're hiding something! I don't know what it is, but don't _you dare_ think for a _second_ that you can fool me! I'm not stupid!"

"I'm warning you kid! I've been nice to you before now, but if you make me angry, you _will_ regret it!"

Cleo turned around and stormed off. _Nice? Yeah, right!_

Then the Candle Maker popped out next to Xibalba. "Maybe ya should laid off da kid?" Xibalba gave him a grumpy sideways glance. "Ya know, I think she's hungry! Why else is she cranky?"

"I can think of another reason. I believe she's past due."

"Another reason she needs some grub!" The Candle Maker clapped his hands together and a table floated up and turned itself over to dump off cluttering props, then placed itself back down. Then food magically appeared. "Soups on ya'll!"

They all sat down and ate the feast. Cleo sat at the end of the table opposite Xibalba, not wanting to be near him. However, by sitting there she could easily see him eat in the most rude and messy manner possible should she glance up from her own food. She would've wisely kept her head down so as not to get grossed out by his table manners if he weren't actually playing with her cellphone while smoking a cigar. _If he so much as smeared food or dropped ash on the screen,_ she thought angrily.

"What's da matter, Cleo? Food not to yo likin?" asked the Candle Maker.

"The food is fine," she said flatly. "At least _I_ can enjoy the taste unlike radioactive breath over there."

"I haven't eaten since the last century," said Xibalba. "Is it such a crime to play with my food?"

"Only while you're handling _my_ property! Would you _please_ put that down?"

"Yeah sure, as soon as I beat this level." Even from the other side, she could hear the phone chime out another "SUGAR SMASH!" "If you want a turn, you can just sit next to me."

"And why would I do that?"

"Don't be in denial. Admit it, you enjoy hanging out with me."

"If there is a choice between hanging with you and working night-shifts at Freddy's, I'd rather work there!"

"Ha! That'd be quite a show! Oh by the way, I just bought a hundred dollars worth of game coins with your bank account. I hope that's okay!"

 _That_ was the final straw. In a burst of rage, she stood up from her chair, toppling it over, grabbed a flan with her bare hands and threw it at Xibalba with all her might. With his engrossment in the game, he didn't look up in time to see it flying at him and the flan hit smack-dab into his face in a splattering burst. There was dead silence which caused Cleo's anger to suddenly deflate. "Uh-oh..."

"Oh, snap!" the Candle Maker blurted.

Xibalba opened his eyes and gave her the most terrifying death-glare, then stood up with his wings snapping out at startling speed. Now she wished she hadn't done that, the career choice was starting to seem safer.

"So... that's how you're going to play, is it?" he said in a deadly whisper. Then he unexpectedly grinned. "Think fast!" He grabbed some fried ice cream and tossed it at her. She ducked before it could hit her.

Cleo felt irresistible excitement. Sticking her head back up above the edge of the table she grabbed her bag and pulled out the snake to force its fangs into her arm. She practically leaped out of her body onto the table.

"Let's see how this valiant heroine fares against the mighty God of Death in an epic food war!" Xibalba beckoned her with a gesture.

"Bring it on, Hexxus!"

As a stalfos, Cleo could be much faster grabbing and tossing food, leveling the playing field against a god. Both took off their kid gloves in this game of dodge ball. The Candle Maker was providing more food with a snap of his fingers whenever the table ran low. "And Xibalba uses his high backed chair as a shield," he declared like he was doing the commentary. "He's gettin ready to reload! Cleo is on her toes! And here comes da pitch! Cleo takes a nose dive! Missed her by a hair! She got a chance to counter! Oh, Santa Chimichanga! She's firin like a gatlin gun! Double whammy! On da face and wing! Now Xibalba's comin out o hiding! Now _he's_ going all out! She's moving fast but I don't know how long this girl can last! She took a hit in da leg! Da shoulder! Da head! How much can she take?!"

She was panting. "It's not over Xibalba! As long as there is breath in me, I will never surrender!"

Xibalba let out a cheesy evil laugh. "Mwahahaha! You are no match for me, do-gooder of justice. Once I'm finished with you, I will finally triumph! Victory shall be mine!"

"The power of love and friendship has given me the strength needed to vanquish the evil you represent, Lord of Darkness!"

"But will it be strong enough to counter my extra spicy chili enchilada supreme of doom?!"

He tossed the sauce covered wrap filled with beef, beans, rice, and cheese. Cleo waited to make her move. She dodged at the last second, narrowly avoiding the horribly fattening dish and grabbed an ice cream cone. Before he knew what was coming, the cone zoomed straight toward him like a missile and hit him squarely in the chest.

Xibalba started thrashing and writhing about, making gagging noises. "Aah! Ooh! I've been stuck! Struck down by the ice cream of revenge! Oh! I'm... finished!" He spun around wildly before falling flat on the floor with a loud _thump!_ sending bits of food flying.

Cleo ran over to him to take a close look. She gave him a nudge with her foot. When he wasn't moving, she leaned in closer. "Xibalba?" she whispered.

 _Splat!_ He had a hidden pie in his clutches and slapped it into her face. She stood there in mild shock and Xibalba roared with laughter. "Oh! That joke never gets old!"

She couldn't help it. She burst out laughing and they were now both on the floor.

* * *

Cleo was sleeping in her usual spot in the hidden room. She had collapsed having exhausted herself from all the goofing-around and laughing. It was still the middle of the night when a crash woke her up. She lifted her head up with a confused grunt. She saw something slithering on the floor in the darkness.

"Wha... the snake? Where's it going?" She got up from her ersatz bed and followed it through the gloom. She carefully maneuvered around objects as she tried to see where it was heading. The snake slid behind a huge Aztec statue standing against a wall, she approached it and pushed it aside. It took a bit to move the heavy thing enough to reveal a doorway with a staircase leading down into someplace unknown.

She was unsure if she might get in trouble for this, but she was now too curious to just ignore what might be down there. She quietly descended the stairs until she entered a remarkable room. There were marigolds littering the floor around the edges of the room and there were skulls and candles laid in a particular way on what was unmistakably a spell circle. And on the other side of the room was a large diamond shaped crystal with a woman frozen inside, and Xibalba stood in front of it.


	24. Chapter 23

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 23

Cleo stood quietly still, she didn't want to break the silence that this god appeared to need. She knew in an instant it was his alone time, but before she could turn around to sneak back up the stairs without his notice, Xibalba said quite unexpectedly "Stay..." Cleo lowered her foot, having lifted it to climb the first stair. He wasn't even looking behind him so his utterance was startling. "Come closer..."

She was hesitant in approaching, but knew she had no option but to obey. "...Sorry..." she murmured as she approached him. "I shouldn't have come down here..."

"You're going to have to be down here eventually." He gave her a sideways glance for a second before turning back to the crystal. "I know you haven't met so... It's time I introduce you."

Cleo now got a better look at the woman inside. It was a goddess like nothing she'd ever imagined. She was as tall as Xibalba, with long black hair that was tied back and almost reached the ground. She wore a flowing red dress and red sombrero with an impossibly wide brim and her clothes and headdress were bedecked with marigolds, tiny skulls, pink feathers, and lines of candles with flames frozen in the clear stone. But it was her face and skin that was the most striking. Her body was white and glittering, like she was made of sugar and her face had extreme make up that resembled a sugar skull even though her head was not actually a skull.

"Is that... La Santa Muerte?"

"Beautiful, isn't she? She may be the most beautiful goddess in the universe..." His tone sounded uncharacteristically bereft. "I wish it had been me... I truly wish I was the one trapped in here instead of her." She looked at Xibalba and thought his tarry face was slowly melting like a lit candle, but seeing his expression she was mystified to realize it wasn't tar dripping at all. And suddenly, for the first time since she met him, she felt real sympathy for Xibalba.

Cleo reached out and felt the crystal. She could sense from her dowsing that it was even stronger than the barrier once located at the center of the Bermuda Triangle. "I don't think I can break it, even with the Master Sword."

"I don't expect you to be able to."

"You said you're working on some kind of spell that will free her."

"Yes, but it's still not ready... I've got everything prepared, but it needs one more thing. And it's something I can't use until we get the medal from Ganondorf."

"I see now..." Perhaps that was the real reason Xibalba wanted the medal back so badly. It wasn't just to stop a madman. "Xibalba, I know now how much she really means to you. I'll do whatever it takes to help you save her, that's a promise." Xibalba didn't give her any response but a slow nod. "I'll see you in the morning." Cleo turned and left the room.

Xibalba finally looked back after Cleo had disappeared up the stairway and smiled in a strange way. "I was hoping you would..." he said after a few moments when she was out of earshot. He gazed at his wife again. "Don't worry Mi Amor, she will be the one who will save you... even though it will kill her."

* * *

Cleo appeared in a deep grotto surrounded by waterfalls. She looked down from a grassy cliff into the water to see one or two Zoras swimming by just under the surface. A new Xibalba statue appeared. "All right, Cleo. You know the drill. There's one more page piece to track down."

"Right." She unsheathed the Master Sword and the signal pointed toward Zora's River. "Looks like I may have to take a swim."

"Are you sure? You ate a big feast."

"That was hours ago."

"But what about your m-"

"I'll be fine!" she cut him off. She knew she would only swim if she had to. She walked down the path that lead from Zora's Domain to the river. She followed her dowsing to the three way fork and saw that it was leading her to a path blocked by a wooden spike barricade.

"Of course there's something in the way! There's always something!"

"Stop whining. We'll figure something out. Maybe I can ask Iza." Cleo approached a boat rental shop and could see Iza and her sister Hena from the fishing hut standing right outside the shop having a conversation.

"Do you think they're going to search for him?" asked Hena.

"I don't know, I don't get into no politics," said Iza. "All I know is a Gerudo has been dragged up there to the domain to receive her punishment! It scares me to know that those burly vixens are still running around out there!"

"I wonder what's going to happen to her?"

"What do you expect? They're most likely going to execute her since she lead the group to kidnap the prince."

"But there was a young man who came by here and asked me the same question. He seems really worried for her, desperately wanting to know where she's being held. He must've believed her to be innocent and wanted to help her."

"Oh, Hena." Iza shook her head. "He's a guy. You know how they are, their heads are always turned when they see girls they find attractive and I hear those no good Gerudos are pretty good at turning men's heads. I tell ya, they're nothing but trouble. I hope that vixen gets what's coming to her." They suddenly noticed Cleo standing there, listening. "Can I help you?"

"Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear the conversation. You said something about a prince, did you mean Prince Ralis?"

"Well, yes," answered Hena. "He was taken away."

"And that Gerudo, what's the name of that Gerudo that got captured for it?"

"How should I know... or care for that matter?" retorted Iza. "She was a kidnapper and she's gonna pay the price for it. Who cares who she is?"

"Can you at least tell me about the guy? A name or anything about him would be nice."

"Well, I don't know who he is either," said Hena. "In fact, I could tell he's not from around here. He wore clothes I've never seen before, some kind of fancy suit. He also had brown hair and his face... now that I think about it, looks a bit like yours."

"Okay, thanks! That's all I need to know!" And Cleo darted off back the way she came.

"Uh, the page piece is the other way."

"Just a moment, Xibalba!"

* * *

"As you should know, the dagger that was left with Syrilla is actually from the northern Gerudo clan. But Syrilla is from the southern clan."

"I object! Even if there are different clans, how does anyone know that they use different styled weapons? And if they do, how can you even tell the difference?"

"Well, because I was dubbed honorary Gerudo by Syrilla herself six years ago, I got an inside view of her fortress. I've seen the weapons a million times! And let me tell you, I didn't recognize the weapon on her person as the south clan's!"

"But if you're really with Syrilla's clan, how can we be sure that you were not in cahoots with her during the kidnapping and are not giving false evidence to cover her tracks?"

"Overruled!" said a third voice. "There is no proof that Finn was even with Syrilla. This objection is invalid!" Cleo had just arrived right in the middle of the trial taking place and immediately spotted her brother who was having an argument with a Zora prosecutor. There was murmuring from the audience and a Zora judge had to bang his gavel for silence before he spoke again. "Finn, we shall take note of your theory, but we must also bear in mind the witness from the Resistance that Syrilla herself was also at the scene of the crime. We shall halt this case for now and continue the trial tomorrow." He made one last bang with his gavel to end the proceedings for the day.

Finn was putting his papers in his bag when he looked up at Cleo and nearly dropped them as she ran up to him. "Cleo, sis?!" he laughed in surprise. He let her into a welcoming embrace.

"Hey Finn! I was just told you were here! I thought you were still at law school _and_ I heard that Phoenix Wright was personally training you!"

"Yeah, I was. But I was also... um... I just suddenly decided to visit Hyrule for a bit and stumbled into this case by random chance. A case I couldn't ignore and felt I had to put all my effort into with what skills I have. Anyway, speaking of which, I take it by your clothing you're on another adventure. How are you doing so far?"

"Besides being ordered around by a shinigami, I'm doing okay."

"By a _what?_ "

"It's a long story, I'll fill you in later. Now, did I hear right? Is Syrilla the suspect here?"

"Yes, unfortunately. She's being blamed for the kidnapping of Prince Ralis. And to make it worse, if they declare her guilty, they'll sentence her to Lake Floria."

"But that's Faron's lair!"

"Yeah, I know. And that's not good."

"Where _is_ Syrilla?"

"She's being held in one of the cells deeper in the domain. I've volunteered as her lawyer so I have legal permit to pay her visits."

Cleo followed her brother down into the Zora dungeons, after asking a guard to let them pass. They walked past prisoners, some of them were the more ferocious looking types of Zoras (Cleo was creeped out by one covered in barnacles and other stuff you find from the bottom of the ocean). They arrived at the cell containing their old Gerudo friend.

"Hey, Syrilla! Look who's come to visit!" Syrilla looked up and saw Cleo. She only half-smiled and Cleo could see how strained she was.

"It's good to see you Cleo, although I hoped you wouldn't see me like this..."

"I know you didn't do this, Syrilla," said Cleo. "I'd like to help you if I could."

"I appreciate it kid. Finn's been doing most of the fighting for my sake so far, but I'm glad to know he's not doing it alone."

"Yeah well, it's not that easy," said Finn. "Cleo only knows how to fight physically and strategically. I'm the only one here who knows how to fight legally. Unless she's a witness herself, I don't know how much she _might_ be able to help."

"We just need more evidence on who the real culprit is," Cleo said thoughtfully.

Finn held out the dagger. "Syrilla, I know this is from the northern clan and not from yours, but I'm curious to know how and why it was in your possession in the first place. I need you to tell me everything you can recall during the kidnapping."

"Well, the reason I had the dagger was because I was trying to stop the Gerudos from taking Prince Ralis at Queen Rutela's grave. I was doing some private errands nearby when it happened, I heard a disturbance and rushed to the source. When I saw him struggling with the kidnappers, I jumped in to help. I managed to strike down ten of them ("Damn!" exclaimed Cleo) before one blasted strange vapor at me and I passed out. When I woke up, everyone was gone, including Ralis, and I found a dagger in my hand when it wasn't there before."

"Wait, the location you mentioned... you were at the Kakariko graveyard?" When Syrilla confirmed, Cleo gasped. "I saw Prince Ralis there only yesterday!"


	25. Chapter 24

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 24

"Wait, so you were at the graveyard too? Wouldn't you and Syrilla have run into each other?" Finn asked.

"I only saw him enter the cave where his mother's grave is, but I wasn't at the graveyard afterwards."

"Still, there's only one path in and out of the graveyard, you two still could've-"

"I exited the graveyard another way that no one else knew but Dampe... Look, it's complicated!" Cleo added at Finn's confused look.

"Wow, we were practically in the same neighborhood and we just missed each other!" Syrilla said in amused disbelief.

"That doesn't matter now. All that matters is-"

"You're visiting time is over!" barked a voice making Finn and Cleo jump. A Zora guard came. "You've lingered with the accused long enough! Now off with you!"

They had no choice but to leave, Cleo heard her brother mutter "A-hole" under his breath.

"Finn, listen. I'm heading straight back to Kakariko to where the grave is, if we're going to save both Syrilla and Prince Ralis."

"But what will you be trying to find there? People have already searched the place for clues."

"Even if they did, they can't find everything there is to find there."

"What are you suggesting? That there's something hidden there that no one else knows about, like the secret exit you mentioned?"

"Yes. And I'm the only one who knows how to find it."

"Let me come with you."

"No Finn, I don't want to drag you into... certain things I'm about to do. You literally can't follow me."

"Cleo, you're not making any sense! If you could just explain clearly-"

"I don't have time to explain! You have to trust me!"

"Alright, alright!" Finn sighed in exasperation. "We're in a hurry, I get it! Just... be careful, okay, at... whatever it is you're going to do."

"Thanks, Finn..." After Cleo walked out of earshot of Finn, she held the red skull. "I'm surprised you haven't spoken up this whole time."

"What makes you think I'd do that?" asked Xibalba.

"Well, I'm about to do a side quest. I'd thought you'd complain, like usual."

"Well, normally I would. But..." he trailed off.

"You know, I _have_ noticed you've been getting quieter and quieter throughout this whole quest..."

"So?"

"So, what's plaguing you?"

He gave a wan laugh. "I'm just getting anxious... We're getting close to the end."

"You mean about saving your wife?"

"...Yeah."

"I understand." And Cleo decided to end the discussion.

* * *

She warped back to Kakariko and took to her hiding spot underground before entering the Land of the Dead. She had just walked out the door of the Sanctuary and already the person she hoped to meet was standing before her. Even as a Zora stalfos, Queen Rutela was still as beautiful as she'd been in life. "I have hoped you would return. You didn't notice me last you were here, but I have seen you as you flit between the living world and spiritual world."

"Then you know why I came back?"

"Indeed." The Queen looked grief stricken. "My son is gone... As a ghost, I could do nothing but watch as my dear Prince Ralis was dragged away."

"Please, show me! Show me where he and the kidnappers went!"

"Follow me..." Rutela and Cleo hurried to the cave at the very back of the graveyard. They were standing on a cliff over a large, deep pond where they could see her grave on the cliff on the other side. "Look down into the water... There is a tunnel. I watched the Gerudos emerge from it and grab Prince Ralis, then drag him back down into it."

"They came from there?! But... _can_ Gerudos swim?" Cleo had already known that the tunnel existed and that it led all the way to Lake Hylia, but it never occured to her that it would be used to kidnap someone.

"I do not know how they managed to get all that way, it's a long way through the tunnel from the lake."

"Which is another problem. I'll need to follow them to whatever hiding place they're in if I'm going to save Ralis, but it'll take forever to swim on my own. I need a faster way."

"There is a way. Normally, the Scales of Faron would help humans swim faster by ten times. To gain one would require the permission of Faron herself. But..." Here, the queen took out an envelope. "I can persuade her to entrust one of her scales to you. I've already written a letter to her ahead of time, for when you would hopefully come back to find my son. You're my only chance of saving him. Please, won't you help?"

"Of course I will." Cleo took the letter. "I'll be back in a jiff!" Cleo swam to the queen's grave to pick up the aura of Ralis still lingering in the area for future dowsing, then used the antidote to wake back up and warp back to the Faron Province.

* * *

She arrived in the Sacred Grove. Within a minute, SK dropped down from the trees. "Cleo! You came back!" he squeaked in excitement.

"Always glad to see me, huh? You're like a little puppy waiting for his master to return from school."

SK giggled.

"An overly hyperactive puppy if you ask me..." said Xibalba.

As usual, Cleo ignored him. "Sorry, I can't play right now. I actually need your help, again."

"What's the problem?" SK asked, cocking his head.

"I need to find Lake Floria, which is somewhere in this forest."

"Wha... Faron's Lair? Why to you need to go there?"

"Long story short: Prince Ralis was taken by Gerudos, Syrilla's getting the blame, Finn's trying to clear her name, and I need Faron's scale to reach the Zora prince."

"Is that all?" He scratched his head. "Faron normally doesn't like visitors... but I get that it's an emergency. Hopefully she'll be in a good mood."

"Hopefully..." Cleo repeated.

"I'll take you there... but..."

"Okay, maybe one quick run through the grove. Just one."

SK smiled. "Yippee!" He blew his horn and the recurring puppets appeared to slow down her chase of the skull kid. Cleo raced through the various paths, trying to follow the lantern light and the music, slashing down the wooden barricades. After searching around carefully for him, she found SK in the area with the pond and waterfall. She swam through the waterfall and climbed up the cliffs to where he was hiding. Before he could get away, she dived and grabbed him. "Okay! Okay, you win!" he laughed.

"So, can I enter Lake Floria?"

"Yep, fair's fair!" SK hopped off of the cliff onto the ground by the pond. He turned to the water and blew his flute. Cleo heard a magic hum but couldn't see anything. She climbed her way back down to him. "The entrance is down there," he said pointing to the pond.

She could now see a new opening under the water. Cleo grinned at SK. "Great! Let's go then." She took a step when SK said "um..." She glanced back at him, confused. "What's wrong?"

"Sorry..." SK said meekly. "I can't come with you, I'm not allowed in. Faron would gobble me up if I set foot there."

She gave an understanding smile. "That's alright, SK. Thanks for opening the path."

SK waved at her. "Good luck." Cleo walked into the pond and dived down into the tunnel.

She swam through the tunnel which was covered in beautiful coral, squeezing past tight spots. The path was a bit long and she had to reach pockets of air dotted here and there before continuing her dive. She soon found her way into a huge cave that had an enormous pocket of air and she climbed up onto solid cave floor. She looked around at her coral and lilypad adorned surroundings. Other than a steady drip-drip, it was awfully quiet... actually, it was way too quiet. It felt... deserted.

"Faron?" she called out. There was nothing but the same empty silence to answer her. "Faron?... Can I talk to you?... I need your help!" She kept looking around, but could see no sign of the water dragon.

" _Why_ do I get the feeling that we came all this way for nothing!"

Cleo started grousing in frustration. "Sometimes, I hate it when you're right! So what now? Should I just wait or...?" She stopped dead in her back and forth pacing, standing totally frozen in shock, her breath stopping just as abruptly. Turned out she wasn't alone after all and, even as she looked at him, she was totally unable to sense his presence because she knew in an instant he was not part of this plane of existence.

A wolfos was sitting a few feet from where she was standing stock still, his red eyes looking right into hers. He stood up and gave a soft but firm growl. Cleo didn't make a move, didn't even pull out her sword to defend herself and it sprung at her... clawed paws out... fanged mouth open... She watched at the blur of gleaming gold pouncing upon her... and all became white.

Cleo found herself on a mist covered ground and picked herself up. Her eyes traveled over a mystically foggy world with the view of familiar Hylian landscapes in the distant backgrounds, Hyrule Castle standing out the most. She turned around and saw a stalfos in old crumbling armor, only one socket had a pinprick light for a pupil.

"I know you came to seek Faron's help. But I'm sorry to say you came at a bad time..." he said in a distant, tired voice. "Faron has gone in a terrible rage."

"What happened?"

"Ghirahim has happened." Cleo opened her mouth, about to exclaim in surprise and anger, but the shade held up his hand to keep her silent. "He had snuck his way into this fortress and plucked scales from her hide while she slept. When she awoke and realized some of her scales were missing, she became blinded by anger and set off to hunt down her offender. There is no telling when she will return."

Cleo crossed her arms. " _How_ does he even know what I was going to do? I'm not even focusing on the next page piece at the moment," she huffed. "That's just great, without the scales, I'll most likely not be able to reach Prince Ralis in time to save both him and Syrilla!"

The Hero's Shade walked up to her. "All is not lost yet. In my youth, I won my own scale from Faron herself."

She gaped at him. "You have one?!"

Cleo could see the ghost of a smile on his skeletal face. From underneath his armor he pulled out a shining blue scale, with a string strung around it. "I know you are in great need of it. I bequeath it to you, the current chosen hero." He gently took her hand and placed the scale into her palm. She couldn't believe the lucky break she'd just got, she smiled hugely. "There is one more thing you should know, before you go to Lake Hylia, you should receive another lesson from Captain Keeta for the Scattalton technique. It should prove useful in the near future."

"Thank you so much!"

The Hero's Shade nodded to Cleo and everything went white again.


	26. Chapter 25

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 25

Cleo reawoke in Faron's cave. "What was that all about?!" she heard Xibalba say.

"W... You didn't see or hear any of that?"

"Any of _what?_ All I saw is that golden beast jumping at you while you stood there like an idiot!"

Cleo smiled, amused to see he'd been kept in the dark. "Well, that 'golden beast' had what I was looking for. And now that I've got it, I can move on to the next part of the mission."

"O-kay..."

* * *

After having visited Captain Keeta to learn the Scattalton technique, she returned to the graveyard and swam through the tunnel, arriving at Lake Hylia in next to no time thanks to the scale. Then she used her dowsing to find out where to go next, but didn't go very far because it led her to a rock wall with a stone tower nearby.

"The desert's on the other side... I can take the cannon easy enough." She'd turned around and begun to head to Fyer's cannon when she heard a shout from above her. She looked up at the top of the tower and saw the person who had called out. Cleo had never seen the woman before, but she looked familiar. Cleo climbed up to the top to greet the woman wanting her attention.

The woman was a Sheikah close to Cleo's age. "You're Cleo, right?" she asked.

"Yes I am," Cleo said, rather astounded. "And you are?" Although, she'd already guessed who this might be before the Sheikah could answer.

"I am Impa... Princess Zelda told me much about you."

"I see... That explains it..."

"Did you come here because of the recent kidnapping of Prince Ralis?"

"Howcha know that?"

"Well, your brother Finn's currently trying to resolve the issue at this moment, and seeing you here in Lake Hylia, you must be here for the same reason."

"Why are you here? Are you investigating as well?"

"Indeed. I know the desert where the Gerudos come from is just over that canyon. What I'm trying to figure out is how a large group of them got to the lake from there and how they got back with their captive. That's why I'm up here, to see if there is a gap in this land-locked place."

Cleo looked over the horizon. "You know... now you mentioned it, I'm starting to wonder the same thing."

"I've heard from my grandmother that there is a hidden entrance that leads straight to the Gerudo Desert. The legendary Hero of Time onced used it to enter their territory during his quest to stop a great evil."

"Well, if there _is_ such a path, I'm sure that's what the Northern Gerudos have been using to sneak into Hylian territory. Now I'm going to try and find that alternate path. With it open, it would certainly make getting to the desert much easier."

Impa smiled. "Well... in that case, if you want to take over the investigation, I won't be in the way of your progress."

"What about you?"

"Right now I feel that the princess still needs me regardless of my current duties. I must return to check on her."

"You're very devoted to Zelda, aren't you? Just like your grandmother was to her ancestor?" This was merely a guess. "Please, tell her I said 'hi'." Cleo turned away from Impa to look at the horizon again.

"I will... She's expecting, so I must hurry..."

"Yeah, I know she is..." Cleo said absently. But then something about what Impa said suddenly clicked into her mind. "Wait a minute!" She whipped around, "What did you mean by-" but realized Impa was already gone. "...expecting..."

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Xibalba asked.

"...You tell me..." Cleo decided to push the thought out of her mind for now. "I may need to enter the Land of the Dead again."

After letting the snake bite her with her body laid on the top of the tower, she climbed back down a third-quarter of the way and let herself drop to the ground on her feet. She walked back to the wall where she could find traces of Ralis's aura. This must be where the hidden gap was. There was soft soil so she was able to use the Gravedigger in hopes of finding what needed to be found. When she emerged, she found herself in a cave with a spacious tunnel. Arranged and spaced out were three different triggers, a floor button, a wall switch, and a chain handle hanging from the ceiling. Cleo tried all three but none of them seemed to work, then tried all the combinations between them, but still achieved nothing.

"The tunnel is open. We can go forward," Xibalba said impatiently.

"I need to find out how the Gerudos got through. These triggers must be what open and close the hidden entrance, from the inside so no one can follow." She tried to think, what was she missing? "They're spaced out... so they can't be used simultaneously... not by one person." That's when she realized why she had needed to learn the Scattalton technique. "I think I know how to solve this."

Then she did a violent twist of her upper body with such force that there was a cracking pop and her torso fell from her legs and landed on her arms. Then she tried to imagine that her legs were still attached in an attempt to move them (which had been difficult to do at practice). It was disorienting at first, not remembering which way was left or right, but she managed to get her legs on the button. Cleo then picked herself up with her arms and walked on them to the wall switch and leapt up to grab and pull it down. Finally with one hand, she grabbed the top of her head and twisted it like a bottle cap until it snapped off. She almost dropped it and kept it balanced in her hand by the chin. She carefully aimed at the chain handle (still disoriented) and tossed her head at it. She missed and the head bounced and rolled on the cave floor.

She felt dizzy. "Ow!"

"You throw like a girl."

"Actually, I don't think this will work anyway," she grunted. "I doubt my head will be heavy enough. I need to rethink this." Cleo noticed how loose the wall switch was from pulling it. She focused her mind into every part of her body so they would reassemble themselves whole again. After some thinking, she went to the chain to jump and grab hold, twisted her legs off to return to the button, and finally took her head off and tossed it to the wall switch.

It worked! There was a sound of heavy movement of stone and she saw the wall opening up into Lake Hylia.

"Now with this open, I can go to the desert in the Land of the Living." Cleo received her antidote and reawoke on the tower. She climbed down and dropped to the ground again.

She ran into the cave and through the tunnel, taking ten minutes of fighting cave monsters to reach the end, stepping out onto the sands of the vast desert. She took out the guitar and played Epona's song. It took a little longer than usual while playing, before Epona reached her from the cave. Cleo mounted and rode on through the desert, following her dowsing. She rode until sundown, past Syrilla's fortress, the Cave of Ordeals, the Arbiter's Grounds, and even the ruins of the Spirit Temple until she reached another cave. Cleo felt her dowsing pointing into it and she stopped Epona at a nearby oasis and dismounted.

She walked into the new cave that appeared like any other cave at the mouth. But when she walked deeper into the tunnel, holding the lantern to light the way, she saw an astonishing sight. At the back of this cave was a small pool, but that wasn't what made her stop and stare. On the walls and ceiling were large spiky red crystals giving the rocky surface a deep crimson shade in the lantern light.

"Whoa!" Cleo gasped. "What are they doing here so close to the surface? Gems _that_ large should've been harvested by now." She reached out to them.

"CLEO! DON'T TOUCH IT!" Xibalba hissed in very stern alarm. Totally startled, she pulled her hand back like the crystal was about to bite her. "Those aren't gemstones, that's red ice!"

Cleo stared at the strange element and realized he was right. "Red ice... Of course, I recognize them now! I read about them before in the travel guide..." But what the book depicted was nothing like the ones in Ocarina of Time, she added to herself. In actuality, red ice was much more deadly.

"And, do you remember what it said?"

"Well... It behaves opposite of normal ice... And since we're in a hot desert, red ice is completely frozen."

"And?..."

"It can also turn any water source it makes contact with into red ice as well, even in living bodies."

"So had you touched it without my warning, all the water in your body would have frozen instantly."

"Yikes!" Cleo hadn't known how close a shave she'd just had. "Thanks for that!" She very carefully walked among the ice until she was standing at the pool's edge. She could see a tunnel under the surface. "Time for another swim."

"Try not to splash too much."

Cleo nodded and slowly dipped herself into the water. Once completely submerged, she kicked off into the tunnel. Unnoticed by her or Xibalba, two keeses were watching her from stalactites with their glowing blue eyes. After she had disappeared, they burst into cold blue fire and flew at the red ice hanging right above the pond. The ice keeses worked their way through the ice for a bit until a chunk fell into the pond. Almost immediately, a spreading took place and rapidly traveled down the tunnel.

As Cleo swam, the red skull pendant ended up twisting around her neck, floating behind her back. That was when Xibalba spotted something with a horrified "Oh no!"

"Cleo, you better swim faster!" he shouted in a panic. She looked behind her and saw with wide eyes that the red ice was spreading toward her at a screaming pace. Heart pounding with the fear it would suddenly stop, Cleo quickened her strokes and kicks until she was swimming at a few knots, trying to stay ahead of the red ice chasing her.

She swam through twists and turns as it steadily advanced. Her mind was thinking ahead, she would not climb out on the other side in time, she needed to leap out. Cleo had one shot, if she failed... she tried not to think it...

It was soon right behind her and with one last spurt, she shot out of the water onto dry ground with the red ice spiking out of the pool a second later from the splash.

"Though there are things I would make you do... this is not one of them. Don't ever go back in that cave." And that was a command from Xibalba Cleo would gladly obey.

* * *

Author's notes: This version of red ice is based on SCP-009 from the SCP Foundation Wiki, except I changed the rules on contamination speed to make things edgy. If you are not of the faint of heart, you may check out the website.


	27. Chapter 26

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue. (Alanaz is another of my OCs, BTW)

* * *

Chapter 26

The last striations of twilight were fading when Cleo walked out of that death trap of a cave. She walked along a rocky pathway until she came to the fortress of the northern Gerudo clan. With nighttime falling, it might be possible to sneak past the guards easy enough, but she did get her bow ready just in case. Although it was hard to see in the dark and her eyes needed time to adjust, she dared not use her lantern and risk being spotted.

She stayed in the darkest of places until it was safe to move when no one was looking. Cleo soon found an empty wooden box to hide under and carry around, she did not want to be caught moving or making a sound. Even Xibalba kept quiet. Once at the first door leading into the fortress, she ditched her box then opened the door quietly and slipped inside. Now for the more difficult part. The hallways were narrow with guards patrolling up and down them and there were at least two or three in each room. She needed to use her bow strategically for this. She used it to drop chandeliers on them as they passed by, to shoot down hornet hives at a distance to chase them off, to shoot at pots on shelves or wall decorations to distract them while she ran up and knocked them down.

She eventually found jail cells, but there was no Prince Ralis to rescue. Instead, there were other Gerudos imprisoned. She walked up to the cells to talk to them and they turned out to be from the southern Gerudo clan. She found keys to their cells and freed them. They fled once freed, after telling Cleo where Ralis was being kept ("Thanks Cleo, but the prince is in another cell") and the directions to take.

She managed to rescue four (the last one giving her a bottle in thanks) before she finally reached the room holding Ralis. The Zora prince looked up at her and appeared... not surprised or even relieved, but afraid. "You-you're Cleo!"

"Yes Ralis, it's me. I've come to get you out." She marched toward the cell.

"No! Don't come in here! It's a tra-" Cleo didn't get to hear the rest. The floor seemed to suddenly disappear and she fell before she could contemplate what had happened. She hit another stone floor and her body screamed in agony from the trauma. She cursed.

"I did _not_ see that coming!" Xibalba shouted, sounding aggravated.

"Me neither!... Ow..."

As she picked herself up, still searing from the fall, a swarm of Gerudos came out of nowhere and surrounded her, pointing their spears. One of them, a Gerudo with an ugly scar slashed across her face, stepped forward from the back of the group. She wore a very cold smirk. "Did you really think this was going to be that easy?"

Cleo got up and looked at her. "Who are you?"

"The name is Alanaz."

"Tell me what you're planning to do with Ralis!"

"Denied."

"Why are you doing this?!" Cleo growled.

"Why?..." asked Alanaz with a displeased frown. "Are you so ignorant that your kind would rewrite or hide away your own history that also involved us? Then let me give you a little lesson. Since the end of the great war centuries ago, we were barred from Hyrule and therefore denied the privileges we deserved. Wealth, power, slavery, and pleasure. It should have been all ours if those weaklings hadn't locked us away and left us to rot, all because they feared us and our might! But that's about to change..."

"What are you planning?"

"We were promised control over Hyrule. The Zora Prince is just the beginning of what is to come. The coward who called himself the Hero of Time may have sealed off the path from the desert into Hyrule long ago, but we found the entrance. And soon we will be ready for another invasion into Hyrule. And we're going to start where we will finish it at the castle itself."

"Hyrule Castle? Are you crazy?! That's a long lost battle, it's suicide! How are you going to invade with the Hylian forces so strong."

Alanaz laughed. "That's easy... we have a wild card in our deck."

"You need to leave the innocent people of Hyrule alone!"

"Also denied," Alanaz replied smugly.

"Cleo, look what she's wearing around her neck," Xibalba whispered. When she did, her mouth hung open in surprise. Alanaz was wearing the scale of Faron, Cleo looked around and saw that several other Gerudos were also wearing them.

"You've been collaborating with Ganondorf haven't you?"

"The great Ganondorf Dragmire is going to be our liberation. The Gerudos will be the true rulers of Hyrule."

"What about the south clan? They are some of your own kind!"

"When will you learn that only the strong survive. There is no room for the weak, they must perish for our benefit. And their leader Syrilla is just as weak as the Hylians. In fact, I hear she was planning to leave her tribe with a _man!_ " Alanaz said the last word with a sneer just as ugly as her scar.

"Syrilla isn't weak! Unlike you, she has hon-" Cleo was punched in the face by Alanaz and fell to the floor.

"Honor... is just another excuse for being weak." Cleo picked herself up off the floor again, wiped the blood off her lip, and glared at Alanaz right in the eye. "Take the girl away to the dungeon. If she's lucky, she can get a front row seat view of the invasion as I burn the castle to the ground."

* * *

Cleo had been thrown into a cell that was different from the others, the door didn't require a key, but had a switch on the wall opposite the door. "Yeah! Go ahead and leave me here to rot!" she shouted at the retreating backs of the guards. "I'd rather be here than watch the invasion!" There was an echoing slam. "No big deal, I already know how to get outta here."

"Now _that's_ handling a situation!" hailed Xibalba.

"Like a boss." Cleo used the snake again to enter stalfos mode. Then she took off her head and tossed it at the switch. Once the door opened, she returned to her body and exited the dungeons.

She found herself in hallways, that were like a maze, filled with more patrolling guards. Thankfully there were also more boxes to hide under. She waited under them until she could sneak up on the guards and knock them out, then take back the stolen scales. Cleo got nine of them before she was outside completely.

Then she followed the same path to Ralis's cell. But when she got there, the cell was empty. "Where is he?" Did he escape or was he taken away somewhere? "Ralis?! Ralis!"

"I'm right here!" Cleo turned around and saw Prince Ralis at the doorway. "I managed to pick the cell door lock using my mother's coral earring."

Cleo felt relief. "I guess your mom helped you out without me. Now that you're safe, we just need to get out of here."

"Cleo, I overheard the guards talking about how you luckily got past that red ice cave, you should know that it's only a false entrance," said Ralis. "The Gerudos here booby-trapped that cave, but they have an alternate way of exiting this fortress. They took me through that, so I can show you the way."

"Lead the way then, Ral."

Ralis smiled as they went on their way to the exit. "I haven't been called that in awhile, not since I taught you the Zora language."

"And that language really helped me in the past. I once saved a Zora from a human abduction."

"Can you _please_ focus less on the idle chat and more on the exiting?" Xibalba asked impatiently. "Also, why don't you just ask me to warp you both to Zora's Domain? Be a lot easier."

"Not until I get Epona away from the Gerudo Fortress _and_ the cave."

"You sound like my wife..."

They were outside only a few steps when someone leapt in front of them. It was Alanaz. "Your friend isn't going anywhere!"

"Don't think I'm going to let you punch me down again, Alanaz!" Cleo spat back. She withdrew her sword and got her cape ready.

Alanaz grinned like a mad woman. "I _love_ a challenge!" She pulled out her scimitar. They ran headlong into fierce combat, their blades flashing in the moonlight accompanied by loud clanging. Some guards ran to the battle scene but didn't intervene, they just watched as the two fought tooth and nail. Cleo was equal to her in strength, skill, and endurance. But Cleo was able to read her opponent's every move, dodging and taunting Alanaz. Cleo needed Alanaz to get angry so she would become sloppy with her moves. When Alanaz snapped at last, Cleo waited for the opening and struck.

One quick spin of the Master Sword sent Alanaz sprawling to the ground. Cleo quickly ran to Alanaz and pinned her down before she had a chance to recover. Cleo held her opponent's hand tightly and pressed her sword point against it. "It's over, Alanaz!"

"What are you doing!? Why aren't you finishing me off?!"

"Because I don't kill people, not even a monster like you! Instead, I'm going to stab right into the palm of your sword hand! You'll never be able to use it to hurt anyone again!"

"Don't think you've won, even if you do cripple me! Guards! Kill the Zora!" Cleo looked up and saw the Gerudos swarm Prince Ralis. She needed to make a split second decision to do something, but she couldn't think of anything in time.

Then... the Gerudos suddenly halted their assault on Ralis and looked around. They heard something that made them stop dead. Cleo heard it too and it wasn't anything she'd expect to hear out in the middle of a vast desert. There was a deep booming roar and a loud crash as something huge in mass hit the rocky canyon walls surrounding the fortress. Then she saw it, rising above the walls and swelling in size until it towered over the fortress about to crash down on top of them all.

Once the Gerudos realized a flood was coming they ran for their lives, an effort Cleo thought was pointless. Alanaz shoved her off once Cleo lost her focus, but was unable to do anything else before they were both hit by the water. Regardless of possessing the scale, Cleo was powerless against a current this strong. Her breath broke hold in the struggle and panic set in. She was starting to black out when she felt a strong arm wrap around her waist and she was pulled up to the surface.

"Hold on!" Ralis shouted. "I'm getting you to dry ground!" He swam to a rock that wasn't completely submerged and threw her onto it. She coughed and spluttered.

Before Cleo could recover, Alanaz crawled onto the rock, pulled out a dagger, and was about to lunge at her when something big and scaly emerged and grabbed Alanaz, yanking her back down. She let out a scream before she went completely under.


	28. Chapter 27

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 27

Cleo stared at the place where Alanaz once stood. "Was that Faron?" asked Xibalba.

She didn't answer. She was now looking around the flooded area in a panic. "Epona! Where's Epona?! Oh, shoot!"

"Cleo, look! Is that who you're searching for?" Ralis pointed. Cleo turned in his direction and saw the south clan Gerudos she had rescued, standing on a wide cliff top with one of them holding the reins of her steed.

Before she could let out a sigh of relief, there was an explosion of water as the scaly creature burst from the surface. It was definitely Faron, a dragon Cleo recognized by her shimmering blue scales and her elegant robes tied by an obi rope. Faron gave an angry snarl.

"Where are the rest of my scales?! I'll hunt down and devour every thief until I find them all!"

"You better find some way to calm her down before things get ugly!" Xibalba urged.

"How am I supposed to calm down an angry dragon, genius?!" Cleo demanded. "Cause I'm not peachy keen about being on the menu!"

"Who are you talking to?" Ralis asked, giving her a confused look.

"Never mind that, Ralis! We need to talk to Faron, tell her what's going on!"

"Ralis?" Faron had heard them and approached, her eyes on the Zora. "Prince Ralis? By the powers of the goddess, what are you doing here in this accursed desert?"

"Great Faron, allow me to explain. Those Gerudos who stole your scales used them to kidnap me. I was their prisoner here in this fortress, but this brave lady risked her life to try and rescue me." Cleo smiled awkwardly, she felt a little embarrassed.

"Her? This little one? Why, she hasn't even fully grown yet."

If Cleo's face wasn't red already, it was now. "I'm only seventeen..." she replied in a small voice.

"Who are you?"

"Cleo Hayster."

"Oh, is that so?" Faron said with interest. "I've heard of you, of course. That little skull kid wouldn't stop babbling on about it."

"I thought he's not allowed in your sacred home."

"Well, I tend to listen in as he talks to himself when I leave my lair sometimes."

Cleo took out the nine scales. "Here, I managed to steal these back from the Gerudos."

Faron looked pleasantly surprised. "My, my! So you did!" She took back her scales in her talons. "It seems the skull kid wasn't merely fantasizing your heroism. Thank you." She gave Cleo a little bow. "I would like to return the favor soon for your good deed."

"Okay sure, but first I'll need to return Ralis home, then maybe I'll give you a call if I need you. I happen to know your melody from Fi's memory."

"Very well then, let me remove this flood so you may deliver the prince safely. Farewell for now." And Faron dove into the water. After she disappeared, the water drained away until there was not a drop left by sunrise.

* * *

Cleo rode back to Lake Hylia with Prince Ralis and once there she asked Xibalba to return them to Zora's River, then they hurried back to the domain knowing they had saved Syrilla in time. Cleo didn't expect however the shock that awaited them.

Both Cleo and Ralis stopped at the entrance where they saw the full extent of what had happened. There were many Zoras lying on the floor or floating in the water with blood everywhere. "No..." the prince gasped. "No, no!... My people!..."

"Finn! Syrilla!" Cleo ran toward the room where the trial was held. When she arrived, she saw Finn sitting on the floor among a lot of Zoras as they tended to the wounded. Finn himself was hurt as well, his business suit slashed and stained with blood and his head was bleeding a bit as well. Cleo ran up to him. "Finn, are you okay?"

"Sis?... I'm fine... I'm just a little sore..." He looked in bad shape to Cleo, both physically and emotionally.

"Who did this? Who?!"

"Ghirahim... he - Oh God... He came out of nowhere and attacked the domain... and then... ..." his voice started choking.

"And then... what?!... What did he do?!"

"... ...He took Syrilla..." Finn picked up a black dagger lying beside him and held it out to her. Cleo stared at it with her mouth hanging open as she took it. "It's the same dagger that Syrilla had picked up at the graveyard, but it has changed. When I saw it change, I knew what was about to happen before he even appeared. I tried to stop him but I was just no match for him... Syrilla, I wish you had seen her, she fought so hard, she was incredible!" Finn looked up at Cleo with consternation. "Cleo, you're not going to believe this! She has the Triforce of Power!"

"W-what?!" Cleo faltered. Xibalba shouted the same thing at the same time. "H-how?"

"I don't know. She never told me... she never told _anyone!_ But I saw it on her hand, as clear as day!"

"I thought Ganondorf had it still!"

"...I guess not..." As Finn said it, Cleo realized when and where Syrilla had gotten it, that very day six years ago when she ran Ganon through.

Cleo sat down. "Power or not, it didn't stop Ghirahim from taking her."

Ralis arrived, bringing a limping Zora. Many other Zoras rose and went to him, to tell him what had happened. "Sis... I know you can get her back," said Finn. "You've got to... I... I can't live with myself if something happens to her."

Cleo looked at him strangely. "Finn... are you-"

"You better get moving kid!" Xibalba urged. "Times a-wasting!"

She sighed and stood up. "Don't worry... I'll find her." Cleo turned right around and ran out of the domain.

"I'm guessing it's finally time to get back to the main objective?"

"Yes, Xibalba! And Syrilla will be there, I just know it! _And_ I know how we can get past that barricade in the river." Cleo reached the grotto where Zora's river began, took out the guitar, and had strummed only one note before it was knocked right out of her hands. "WHA?!"

"You are _not_ taking another step!"

Cleo looked around and saw him, the tribal warrior. "You!"

"I know where you're heading... You are about to enter the fourth and final Temple of the Sun. This is where your journey stops!"

Cleo glared at him. "Like hell, it is!"

The warrior smirked at her. "Do you think I am going to let you into the temple? I've warned you before and you've deliberately ignored it... now I have no choice but to slay you where you stand."

"Look! I don't know who you think you are and _I don't care!_ You're not going to get in my way!"

"And how are you going to stop me?..." Cleo withdrew the Master Sword. "Fine... If this is your choice..." He drew his own sword. "I hope you're prepared to die."

Cleo charged right into the fight, sword ready. In ten seconds flat, after clashing with the warrior, Cleo quickly saw that he was not a skilled fighter on a human level. His speed, strength, cunning, his entire potential was greater than she had imagined it would be, greater than her own. It was like fighting a Saiyan kid who's merely playing! She was getting floored and so tried to shield herself with the cape. To her astonishment, the magically durable fabric was torn right through like tissue by his sword.

She fell...

The warrior stood over her and looked down. "You've brought this on her Xibalba... Don't even think about defending her, no matter how badly you need her to save your wife."

"You know Xibalba?" Cleo asked. She heard a faint gasp from the red skull.

"I know everything... The Candle Maker told me the whole story after I heard you mention a piece of page."

Cleo gaped at him with scorn. "You knew?! You knew what I was trying to do and you _still_ try to kill me?!"

"Don't you realize what will happen once you possess the final sun spirit and later die a warrior's death? If you knew what was in store should you accomplish what Ganondorf wants, then you would understand why I have no choice!"

She stared hard at the warrior. "I already figured that latter part out, that Ganondorf and Ghirahim want me to go into those temples and get possessed by those things. I still don't know what will happen if I succeed and it wouldn't make a difference if I did. I know they are doing it for some evil purpose and so they kidnapped Syrilla and the other innocent souls to make sure I'd accomplish that task. That's why _I_ have no choice but to go in there."

"Even so... I am sorry." The warrior raised his weapon to finish Cleo when the golden wolf leaped in between them and faced him with a low growl. Both he and Cleo were still for a moment staring at the beast before it leapt onto him. There was a flash and the beast was gone. The warrior was still.

"What did he tell you?" Cleo asked. She knew they'd just had a conversation in that one instant. He didn't answer. " _What did he say?_ "

Finally, the warrior spoke. "Even if I let you go to the last temple, you still cannot enter it... not without this." He took off a white conch shell hanging around his neck. "By blowing into this in front of the temple, can you open the entrance. To earn this shell, you must first earn my blessing."

"How?"

"If I were to ever allow you entry to the last temple, you must prove your worth by offering me something in return... in sacrifice."

"Sacrifice?... Are you serious?"

"Exchange is just another practice of sacrifice. There can be no progress, triumph, or blessing without sacrifice. It has always been the way of life, not just in Mexico, but in all worlds."

" _Who are you?_ "

"...Ehecatl... that is the name I use in human form..."

Cleo stared at him for a few more seconds before making a decision. Finally, she brought out Ghirahim's dagger and in one quick burning swipe, blood spilled from her arm**. Ehecatl picked up the torn cape, lowered himself on one knee and soaked it in her blood. "Is that enough?" she said through clenched teeth.

"Not only enough, but will serve you as well." Ehecatl pressed the cloth against the wound for a bit before removing it. Then he took out a spine, pricked himself with it making the tip red, and swiftly wove it through the tear. There was no thread but the tear bound like there was. The blood seeped into the cloth and the red dye changed to blue in a shimmer. Cleo took the cape in her hands and felt it. "The cape's magic has been strengthened by your blood, because your blood has an inherited trace of the spirit Fi," he said in answer to her curiosity. "The Hero's Shade told me he has been watching you for a long time. He claims you will go to any lengths to save this world at whatever cost it may take. I can clearly see that now... I will no longer try to stop you."

He took off the conch shell and handed it to her. Then he got up and walked away while Cleo looked on. She stood up. "Thanks..."

"Aren't you going to take a potion?" asked Xibalba.

* * *

**DO NOT ATTEMPT!


	29. Chapter 28

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 28

Cleo took a swig of red potion and picked up the guitar. She played the Song of the Hero in it's entirety and as she played, the deep well in the grotto started to churn. Then the water dragon shot out of the grotto as she finished her music.

Faron lowered herself to Cleo's level. "So what is it you are in need of dear."

"I need to go to the last Temple of the Sun."

"What?!" Her eyes widened. "The Temple of Floods? Are you sure?"

"Yes, I've gain Ehecatl's approval. I have his conch shell, right here." Cleo held up the shell.

"What's that around your neck?" Faron asked suspiciously.

Cleo felt a flutter in her stomach. "I swear, I didn't steal this from you! The Hero's Sha-"

"Not the scale, silly girl! I mean the red skull."

"This?" Cleo held it, looking thrown off.

"Oh, great!" muttered Xibalba. "Another cosmic celebrity who's noticed me. I'm not keeping a low enough profile, am I."

"Yes, I've seen that skull before. I certainly hope you haven't had the unfortunate displeasure of being affiliated with that nasty god of death."

So she knew Xibalba as well. "If I did, I'm afraid it's my own business, ma'am."

"...I see... Very well, I shall clear a path for you even though I'm reluctant to do so." Faron floated higher and soared down the river toward the fork. Cleo followed her and heard a shriek as she arrived at the boat rental shop. Iza was running past Cleo screaming.

Cleo saw Faron fly through the wooden barricade, splintering it to pieces. Cleo headed to the shop. "Hopefully, she won't mind if I borrow one of her boats." There was no other way to get there as she didn't have the strength to swim the whole distance. She hopped aboard and paddled down the path now open to her.

The ride down this river was much rougher than she'd expected and it took all her stamina to steer. She saw Faron ahead of her. "Follow me, Cleo!" The dragon lead her to a cave off to the side and Cleo was now traveling down an even narrower, rougher, and more winding path. There were more forks ahead so she needed to stay behind the dragon and try not to fall behind. She was sure taking a wrong turn would not end well.

After a while, the boat finally traveled onto steady water, then she paddled to a dry landing where a stone door was. "Did you enjoy the ride?" asked Faron.

Cleo wrung out her green hat. "Makes Splash Mountain seem like a kiddy pool."

"This is where I leave you... I wish you the best of luck." Faron bowed again and dove into the water, disappearing from view.

Cleo faced the door, brought out the conch shell and blew into it. It made a low melodious sound like an ocean wave. A glowing image of a winged serpent appeared on the door, before it slowly creaked open. She walked through and saw the pedestal for entering the dungeon, but was surprised to not find Syrilla lying there. "Where is she?" Then she sensed someone swooping in right behind her and felt a hard blow to the head. She was out in an instant.

She opened her eyes and heard chanting and screaming. She lifted her head off the cold cave floor and saw Ghirahim performing a spell with Syrilla on the pedestal covered in light. "Cleo, what's happening?!" Xibalba asked. "All I can see is your bosom again!" Cleo's head started swimming as she tried to get up, she felt like she was going to faint again. The light suddenly stopped and she knew it was already over.

Ghirahim turned around and looked at her. "Thank you so kindly for opening the door for me, dear Cleo. I never could get past it with my powers because of that sorcerer's barrier." Cleo was baring her teeth as he spoke. "Aaand... I've got a little bonus!" He held out his hand and a piece of Triforce appeared, floating slightly above it. "My master is sorely missing this, I shall be returning to him with the Triforce of Power and wait with him for you after you've been endowed with the last sun spirit." He chuckled demonically as he faded away with the Triforce piece.

"Damn you!" She really wished she hadn't lost quite so much blood.

"I can't believe we just did that!" Xibalba spat. "It could've been avoided!"

"There's no way we could've known!" Cleo walked to Syrilla. The Gerudo's skin was not as dark as normal. "I'm so sorry Syrilla... I promise I'll make it up to you." Cleo laid herself next to Syrilla. "I'm ready." The snake slithered out, used to the routine by now, and bit her.

She rose up from her body and walked through the doorway leading deeper into the dungeon. The first obstacle she encountered, of all things, was red ice blocking the doors and pathways. Although she couldn't be frozen by it as a stalfos, she still needed to get rid of it. There were standing torches lit with cold blue fire for her to use in her lantern to help melt the ice. The only real chance of getting frozen at all would be when Cleo swam through water canals where red ice lined the entrances. Cleo made sure to shoot down the blue fire stalkeese before taking a dive and traveling to other parts of the dungeons. Every canal had a strong current that went one way and she needed to turn a large lever to change the flow. Every lever was surrounded by deep water, some of them were encased in red ice. She couldn't carry her lit lantern while swimming so she shot arrows at the ice through torches. She used the same strategy to melt ice covering the wall buttons which opened a door. Past that door was the biggest, most heavily armed stalmaster she had faced yet, as strong and tough as a darknut. She had to use some of her more advanced sword moves to take out its armor and finish him. She found a pair of clawshots in reward for her victory. She used them to reach new places where more elaborate multi-switch puzzles were. She had to use more creative ways of using Scattalton (and the clawshots) to turn all the switches at once as they were far apart, sometimes in different areas. After solving them all, she found a big key (the first and only time she'd gotten a big key). She used it on the big door and entered the last room.

The room was small and empty with a hole in the middle of the floor. Cleo looked to see what was down there before jumping in. She fell an entire floor, landing on a platform surrounded by water with four huge wall sculptures of winged serpents, the ends of their tails extending outward over the water. The hole sealed itself, trapping her in. "Cleo!" She look up and saw Syrilla trapped in the mouth of one of the statues like in a cage. "Cleo, there's something in the water! You need to be on your guard!" And already, Cleo had noticed something moving swiftly around the platform. She looked around for the thing. "Behind you, Cleo!" She turned around and saw a hand attached to a very ropy arm reaching out to her. She jumped back before it could grab her.

The hand retracted back into the water for a moment before the entire beast leapt out and grabbed one of the stone tails, swinging back and forth. It was a creature that was half dog and half monkey with an extra hand on the end of its tail.

 **Ambidextrous Aquatic Dweller:**  
 **Ahuizotl**

It swung from tail to tail in one direction. Cleo quickly brought out one of her clawshots and aimed at its third hand. The weapon latched on and pulled Ahuizotl onto the platform. Then they faced off in melee where she taunted it with her cape and struck it when it tried to swipe at her. Squealing, it dove back into the water. It swam around for a few seconds before the hand poked out and grabbed her by her leg. Cleo broke off her legs to free herself and it tossed them onto the floor. She pulled herself together as Ahuizotl jumped out of the water. The second round, it swung left or right in a more random pattern, making it more difficult for her to grab. Then in the third round, it made an amazing jump up onto the serpent heads, and hopped around out of reach. Cleo clawshot a ring on the ceiling, pulled herself up, and used the second clawshot to yank Ahuizotl down. After she slashed at it thrice, it became enraged and slammed down its monkey fists so hard, the whole room quaked, causing stone to fall off the walls and ceiling. Cleo dodged them.

Then Ahuizotl howled and water started moving like it was alive. It jumped up onto the ceiling ring and streams of water traveled up to the monster, forming a huge water bubble around it. Cleo knew what was coming and tried to get out of the way. But the very edge of the platform wasn't far enough. When the bubble hit the floor, it expanded and pulled her in where Ahuizotl was able to pummel her. She was punched out onto the floor, coughing. The bubble flowed up to the ceiling again. Cleo noticed red ice inside the cracked open wall. Acting fast, she took a piece with the clawshot, aimed at the water bubble, and shot again. The bubble turned to red ice in an instant and crashed down (Cleo wrapped herself in her cape at the last second). With Ahuizotl down, she executed the ending blow.

Jerked by the blow, it writhed on the ground as glowing smoke escaped its body. In a flash, the body shrank and returned to its true form, a matador stalfos who looked a lot like Manolo. Cleo looked up at the glowing orb, her first thought was to run. But in a room like this, it wasn't an option. So there was nothing to do except to let herself be possessed one more time.

The spirit flew at her and hit her hard. It was actually painful this time and she succumbed to the pain. She collapsed.

 _The ground began to shake... Forests ripped apart... buildings and skyscrapers toppled... sounds of people screaming and loud crashing of rocks... The world tore itself apart and the light of the sun died..._

As she watched the vision, Cleo heard a voice... the voice of Ehecatl.

 _With each new era, there is a new sun... Four were created... four were destroyed... now only the fifth remains... As long as the light of the sun continues to shine... ... your world will remain... ... ..._


	30. Chapter 29

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 29

"... ...Señorita... Señorita!..."

Cleo opened her eyes and saw Manolo and Syrilla by her side. "Manolo?..." She sat up. "How did you get here?"

"I followed you. I figured you were on your way to save my father when you entered this temple."

"After you collapsed, the hole opened up again and Manolo came down here and freed me," said Syrilla.

"Thank you, Manolo... I figured that creature I fought was your possessed dad. How is he?"

"I just checked him. He seems to be fine now." He helped Cleo up and they walked over to his father. He too was regaining consciousness. "Papa!" Manolo roused him.

"Mano...?" He opened his sockets and picked himself up. "What happened, mijo?... I felt as if... as if I was in a nightmare..."

"Don't worry about it Señor Sanchez. The nightmare's over now," Cleo replied.

"Please, call me Carlos."

"Cleo Hayster."

"Thank you for freeing him Cleo," said Manolo. He picked up a chest. "I found this in one of the snake statues."

Cleo opened it and got the last page piece. "Finally, now we can find out where that #$% Ganondorf is hiding!" Xibalba said with relief.

"Man, Xibalba! I know you're the more malevolent type, but you're still a god. Watch your language."

"C'mon, I know you're thinking it too."

"Uh, I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," said Manolo.

"Ganondorf?" said Carlos. "Manolo, what's going on?"

"I'll explain later, papa. Cleo, now that my father is back to normal, he and I will both be returning to the Land of the Remembered."

Cleo took out the guitar. "You can have this back now if you want."

Manolo smiled. "I'll let you borrow it a little longer... until you defeat Ganondorf at last. You might still need it."

"Okay, gracias." Cleo turned to Syrilla. "We should be going ourselves. Xibalba, if you please."

* * *

Cleo rowed to Lake Hylia with Syrilla. When they hit shore, a Zora woman swam up to them and grabbed the boat. "I'll be taking this back to Iza, now that you're done with it. I'll tell Iza it just drifted away."

"Thanks."

"Syrilla, I'll go tell your lawyer Finn the news of your return. He will be relieved to hear that you're all right." The Zora darted away with the boat in tow.

"I need to go back to him Cleo," said Syrilla. "You don't need to fill me in about what's been going on. I know you're a busy girl, you can tell me everything later." She turned to leave.

"Syrilla!" The Gerudo looked back at Cleo. "I know you had the Triforce of Power for over six years... and now it's gone, Ghirahim took it... I'm sorry."

"...Don't worry about it... I don't really need it where I'll be going."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm leaving Hyrule. And there's no guarantee I will ever be returning here."

"What?! But what about Finn? He'll be devastated when he finds out."

"He and I already discussed this beforehand. Don't worry, it's not going to be as bad as you think."

"I don't know what you mean."

"You will soon enough," Syrilla smirked. "Right now, you've got Hyrule to save, especially if Ganondorf is really back from the dead. I'll see you later, I promise you." Syrilla ran off.

"C'mon, Xibalba. Let's war-"

"HEEEYYY!"

Cleo knew who that "heeeyyy!" was coming from. "Now what?" she sighed.

The postman was running toward her. "Good afternoon Cleo. I've got two letters for you." He pulled out the letters from his bag and handed them to her while humming a little victory tune.

"Thank you," said Cleo. He tipped his hat and ran off again. She checked the letters. One of them was from Shad and the other was from Princess Zelda. "I almost forgot that I asked Shad to do research on anything relating to the sun temples. He might've found out something important. But I didn't expect a letter from Zelda."

"Are you going to read them now?" asked Xibalba.

Cleo thought for a moment. "I know I should go straight back to the museum, but I better read these first in case there might be something important I need to do here."

"Just what could be more important than our mission?"

"Oh, wake up! Haven't you realized by now that there's something bigger going on here than just getting back that stupid medal?"

"Of course I have, but-"

"Then stop your complaining!" Cleo slit open the envelopes, thinking that all the Zelda players who whine about Navi or Fi should count themselves lucky they don't get stuck with Xibalba. She quickly scanned Shad's letter. "Yep, I was right! He _did_ find something important and he wants to meet me at Telma's in Castle Town."

"And the second letter."

Cleo looked at Zelda's letter. "She just heard from Impa that I'm back." As her eyes traveled down, they widened in astonishment. "I KNEW IT!"

"Knew what?! What happened?"

"Zelda's pregnant _and_ maybe getting close to labor!"

"...Oh, is that all?"

"Ah, I forgot. That's not important to a guy like you."

"If it was my wife it would be. But a Hylian Princess, it's just another struggle for a mortal's life waiting to happen... Well it is!" he added after Cleo scoffed.

"For that statement, I'll also pay her a visit and waste more of your time. She's requesting a visit too anyway." She heard Xibalba grumble. "Don't get mucked up in your own tar! I'll be quick about it. It's important that we get some idea of what our enemy is really up to."

* * *

Cleo rode to town and stopped at the gates. After she dismounted, a guard took the reins to take Epona to the stables. Then Cleo ran through the streets and down into Telma's bar. She looked around and saw the Resistance sitting around their usual table.

"Hey there, hon!" Telma called out. "How are you doing? It's been years since I last seen you."

"Hi Telma."

"Can I get you anything, Cleo?"

"Blue Chu Fizz would be nice." She walked straight toward the group.

Shad looked up from his notebook and other papers. "Hello Cleo. I'm glad you could make it."

Cleo sat herself down at the table. "So Shad... what kind of information did you find?"

"I obtained most of it from various ruins so I can't be sure how much might be missing. A considerable portion of it was so timeworn that it's virtually wiped from any possible record. But I did find plenty that sounds pretty crucial indeed."

"Well, what can you make of it?"

Shad flipped through the pages and turned the papers on the table around to show her what he'd written down and drawn. "Let's see... What I understand from the hieroglyphs, there once used to be other worlds before ours existed. And from the beginning of time to now, there have been five total, including ours. And each of these worlds had their own different sun. And-and..." he flipped the pages again. "C'mon! Where is it?"

"You need to lay off the coffee, Shad!" Talo said in slight exasperation. "He lost a night's sleep after finding something about an apocalypse," he told Cleo. She was now noticing dark lids behind his glasses.

"Maybe you should get some rest first..." Cleo suggested.

"Yes, I know I should but... Ah, here it is!" He pushed back his glasses. "Cleo, something very bad might happen soon and you need to know as much as possible what that is.

"The four previous worlds, or the Realms of the Sun as they're called, are gone. Every time a sun dies, its world dies with it in an apocalypse. World of the Giants, invaded by cat demons. The second world, blown away by a hurricane. Third, rain of fire. Fourth, a great flood."

"Those are signs..." The group looked at Cleo. "I've seen the signs of previous apocalypses! The rain of fire at Kakariko..."

" _Not_ a coincidence! That's my point!"

"I'm sorry, but I'm still not understanding," Colin spoke up. "You haven't gotten to the point. You _need_ to get to the point."

"Right-right-right..." Shad smoothed back his hair. "I'm just having trouble focusing... Now... Our Realm of the Sun, the fifth sun... it's supposed to be the last one ever and it's going to end the same way: With the death of our sun, followed by a worldwide earthquake."

Cleo gasped. The vision... "The sun spirits... does it say anything about them?"

"Yes it does... The four sun temples, each representing the four previous worlds, are to play their part in this. But this part of the information is where it's been mostly worn away. All I know of it is that a human must go into those temples and possess the spirits. Once that human possesses all four of the sun spirits, he or she must go to the earth's seal and release all of the spirits into it. Doing so will break the seal and cause the sun's demise and the great quake."

"But why would anyone do such a thing?" said Malo. "What's the point of this if there's going to be nothing after that?"

"The most likely reason to do so would be if this word becomes ruined beyond saving. Like say if Hyrule fell into an uncontrollable anarchy or if a mass plague took hold of the populace with no means of finding a cure in time. If that were to happen, that's when someone would go to those temples and the seal to end it all."

"And besides which," Cleo added. "I don't think it would be the ultimate end, even if this _is_ the very last Realm of the Sun. If anything the universe will just reset after that."

"Yes... that does sound pretty logical."

"So where is the seal?" Cleo asked.

Shad let out a heavy sigh, more from tiredness or disappointment, she wasn't sure. "That part I'm afraid is pretty much missing from the record. All I can find out about it is that it's shaped like an upside down triangle."

"Like a Triforce?"

"No, it's nothing like that. I know it's some kind of structure."

"You need to go get some sleep. Thank you for telling me everything."


	31. Chapter 30

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 30

"I have your Blue Chu Fizz here, hon." Telma handed the bottle to Cleo.

"Thanks." Cleo took it and gave her some rupees. She turned back to the group. "I should get..." She noticed Shad was out of it. Must've zonked out, immediately.

"Cleo..." said Colin. "Do you think the world's _really_ going to come to an end?"

The rest of them looked at her expectantly. Cleo didn't know how to answer, how would they react if she told them she was the one who managed to possess all the spirits? "...Not if I can do something about it."

She walked out the door. She made sure the door was shut tight before she talked to Xibalba. "Ehecatl tried to warn me about all this... And I didn't listen..."

"Warn you? I don't think attempted murder is a warning at all. Look, it's no big deal. Just avoid the seal like the plague for the rest of your life and things'll be fine."

"And how am I supposed to avoid it _properly_ if I don't even know where it is? I know my chances of accidentally running into it are approximately 0.00000000007%, big universe and all, but I can guarantee Ganondorf will make sure it'll still happen."

"Well, at least we managed to clear things up a bit about what's really going on. Granted, that still doesn't really tell us how Ganondorf is using that for any kind of advantage. Even if he still has the medal, it won't do him any good."

"I know, it doesn't seem to make sense... I'm guessing there is another part of the plan we... still don't know yet."

"Like what kind of plan does he have to use as a back up?"

"It depends... First, question: Is it possible for a mortal, or someone born a mortal, to become a god?"

"No, of course not! You have to born a god, you can't be made one."

"But what if Ganondorf has actually found a way to become a God?"

"That's, _impossible!_ "

"I don't know, Xibalba... if it's possible for Hyrule to exist while you're playing a video game of it, _anything's_ possible." One of Cleo's hands clutched the back of the other.

"Tell you what, come straight back to the museum. We'll skip right ahead to reviving La Muerte."

"What?! But I thought you needed the medal for that?"

"I never said I did. You don't have to face Ganondorf at all if you don't want to, you can just leave Hyrule. Forget about completing the page or regaining the Medal of Everlasting Life."

Cleo couldn't believe what she was hearing, he was willing to let her go from her coerced endeavor. It didn't seem like Xibalba at all. "What's happened to you? You've... changed..."

"Uh... I don't know what you're talking about."

 _Liar,_ Cleo thought. "I don't know if I _should_ leave..."

"You're not seriously considering taking a catastrophic risk, are you?"

"No, it's just... ..." She thought hard. Then she remembered her second meeting. "...I need to talk to Zelda... She's the only one who can tell me what to do."

* * *

Chakal had returned to the Temple of Hira and was standing before Ganondorf and Ghirahim. "You certainly took your little ol' sweet time," said Ghirahim. "So where o where are the Gerudos from the northern clan? Hmm?"

" **Drowned... most drowned. Only the few left came back with me.** "

"Typical," Ghirahim sneered. "Never send a brainless brute to do a demon lord's job."

" **Why you no good dog!** " Chakal charged at Ghirahim only to get smacked down by a surge of dark magic. Ganondorf had stood up from his throne and held up his fist, the Triforce of Power glowing.

"Do not forget about your previous failure. You didn't obtain the Triforce of Courage from Link, all because you're scared of Xibalba. As of now, Ghirahim is the only one who has accomplished anything by gathering the Triforce."

" **I am not scared of** _ **anything!**_ "

"Than prove it... Fetch me the Triforce of Wisdom. You know that without the Triforce, we can't follow up with the rest of our plan."

" **I** _ **have**_ **also gathered the Gerudos from the other clans, including some mutinous members from the south clan... I am ready for the invasion.** "

Ganondorf walked up to Chakal. "Know this... You have only one chance... fail me again," he placed his whole palm on the Medal of Everlasting Life unobtrusively pinned on Chakal, "and you become expendable." He removed his hand.

" **...Sí...** "

A few seconds after Chakal left the room, Ghirahim said "Poor idiot... He doesn't yet realize he's already expendable." But Chakal lingered a bit behind the door just opened a hair-thin crack and heard his statement.

"And what of the Triforce of Courage?" Ganondorf asked.

"I assure you, it will soon be on it's way to us... along with all the sun spirits."

* * *

Cleo approached the guards at the castle entrance. They crossed their spears. "Princess Zelda asked me to come here," she declared.

"Do you have proof that you have an official meeting with the Princess?" one of them asked.

"Yes." She brought out the letter Zelda had sent.

They examined it for a minute. "That does look like her handwriting." They handed it back. "You may pass."

"Thank you." Cleo entered and walked the path she remembered taking when she first came here that lead to Zelda's chambers. On the way, she saw Impa who was in the midst of a conversation with the king, a young man who was somewhere in his mid twenties.

Impa noticed her. "Cleo, I'm glad you could make it."

The king now turned his attention to Cleo. "Is this the girl my wife told me about?"

"Indeed it is, Your Majesty," said Impa.

"Hello again, Impa." Cleo grinned. "Great to see you."

"Your investigation. Did it go well?"

"Uh..." It took a moment to remember what Impa was talking about. "Y-yes, it did. And Syrilla got off too." Cleo suddenly realized something. "Oh, sorry!" She quickly bowed to the king. "Totally forgot!... I'm making a lame first impression, huh?" she added in an undertone.

The king chuckled. "You're a strange young woman."

"Sorry..."

He raised an eyebrow. "There's really nothing to apologize for. You're probably just as anxious as I am about the new baby coming. Is that not the reason you came here?"

"Oh, uh yes... And congratulations to you, Your Highness."

He gave a warm smile. "Thank you."

"Zelda is in the west courtyard," said Impa.

"Thanks." Cleo headed toward the doors that lead outside. She wandered the courtyard until she spotted her, sitting on a wood and iron bench.

Princess Zelda looked at Cleo, as she walked up to her, and smiled. "Welcome back Cleo."

"Hi, Zel." Cleo sat down next to her. Whatever fears or worries she had fled whenever she was near Zelda. It was like being seven again, instead of seventeen, being with the woman she cared so much about. "I really wanted to see you again. I..." Cleo stopped. She wasn't sure where to start.

"Is something the matter?"

"Yes, but... I don't know what to tell you without worrying you. It seems like a bad time."

"Because I'm pregnant?"

Cleo hung her head a bit. "Yeah..." She looked at Zelda's perfectly round stomach. Then she placed her hand on it, feeling the life inside.

"I know you care about me, Cleo. But if it's something very important, don't be afraid to explain. You know I'll always be here to listen."

"All right..." For Zelda to understand, Cleo told her everything from the beginning, starting with a group of bandits kidnapping her. She told her about how she'd met Xibalba, Ganondorf and Ghirahim's return, the Medal of Everlasting Life, La Muerte and her curse, the quest Xibalba forced on her, the Book of Life, Cleo's new ability to travel into the Lands of the Dead, all of her discoveries along the way with the Sun Temples, Ehecatl, the legend of the five suns, the apocalypse, and finally what Ganon might be planning. "And now that I've possessed all four of the spirits, if I come near the seal, it will mean the end of everything we know, which is what he wants. Xibalba told me recently that I should just... run away and give up the quest... but the thing is... if I leave Ganondorf alone... what will happen then?... I'm... really not sure what to do. And that's why... why I turn to you now."

Zelda thought for a minute. "...I never imagined... things would become harder for you after you saved all of time from Vaati..."

" _I know!_ I thought _that_ was the hardest," Cleo almost laughed. "And it was even harder than when I fulfilled the Bermuda Triangle Prophecy, and saved the Twilight Realm from Aku, and-"

"And when you explored Hyrule for the first time in your life and faced both Ganon and Majora for the people you loved."

Cleo smiled. "All the good times..."

"But at those times, you had to listen to much advice from others. Jack, Kaepora, Cia, Xibalba... Link..." Zelda added hesitantly, Cleo didn't react, "...and myself... Cleo, instead of listening to the voice of Xibalba or mine, you need to listen to your own voice, and do what _only you_ believe is the right thing to do. Because you alone can write your own stories... and know how it will end. If there is anyone who will find a way to undo what Ganondorf has done, it will be you."

Cleo looked at Zelda hopefully. "There might be a way. I think I know how Ganon will become a god and I know it's going to be that same plan that _will_ undo what's already been set in motion... But I will still need... your wisdom if I'm going to succeed."

Zelda looked at her for a moment before she reached out to grab Cleo's hand. "Your Highness!" a voice shouted. They both looked up and saw Impa approaching.

"Bad timing! It was starting to sound interesting!" Xibalba shouted.

"Your Highness! A huge army of Gerudos are approaching the Castle Town! They are armed to the teeth and no doubt planning to storm the Hyrule Castle itself! I need you to come inside."

Zelda tried to get up. "In a moment! I need to-ah-AH-AAH!" She collapsed in a shriek of pain.

"What's wrong?!" Cleo dropped to her knees to help her up. Then she noticed Zelda was clutching her stomach. "Aw crap! Don't tell me?!"

Zelda started gasping and wheezing. "The... the baby's... c-coming!"

"...Double bad timing..."


	32. Chapter 31

The Legend of Zelda series do not belong to me, they belong to Shigeru Miyamoto. And the gods in the story, the Sanchez, and Chakal belong to Jorge Gutierrez. What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla, Joseph, and the kids in the prologue.

* * *

Chapter 31

Impa bent down and, together with Cleo, helped Zelda back onto the bench. "Cleo..." gasped Zelda, eyes shut tight from the pain. She grabbed Cleo's hand, squeezing it tight. "Leave me... AH... I'll be... alright..."

"I'm going to go find help!" Zelda nodded and opened her eyes to take one last look at Cleo before she let go of her. Cleo ran back inside with Impa and found some maids. "Zelda's labor just started! She's in the west courtyard! Please hurry!" The maids rushed outside.

"We'll leave her in their care," Impa assured Cleo. "I need you to come with me to the balcony so we can look at the situation."

They hurried upstairs a few flights. "Which town gate are they storming? East? South?"

"All three."

"All three?!" Once they were on top of the castle balcony, Cleo could see for herself that Impa was right. There were three huge groups spread across Hyrule Field heading for the town. "Our army can hold them off... right?"

"I'm not sure..."

Cleo observed the surroundings again when she heard a man shout "Ho ho! Look at that guy! He's huge!"

She whipped her head towards the man who was looking through a telescope. "What?! Let me see!" She yanked the telescope right out of his hand and peered through it to see where he was pointing. She spotted something in the northern portion of the field that made her utter an "oh no".

"What is it, Cleo?" asked Impa.

"It's Chakal... so _he's_ the 'wild card' Alanaz mentioned." Cleo thrust the telescope against the guy's chest, knocking the wind out of him. Then she and Impa marched back down to ground level. "I think we're going to need two armies!"

"You may be right. We also have the Resistance and that's not going to be enough."

"That's all we've got for back up?"

"Not all!" Cleo and Impa looked behind them to see the Resistance and noticed Agitha in their midst. "Don't forget about me!" she said.

SK stepped out of the group. "And me."

"And us!" Gor Coron spoke as he and a group of Gorons came forward. "Your brothers are ready to fight alongside you!"

"With her _actual_ brother." Cleo was somewhat startled by Finn's sudden appearance.

"And sister." But she wasn't surprised that Syrilla came next. Prince Ralis too came with his group of Zora warriors. Then Ook and his monkey horde came also.

"You're all here... how-"

Impa spoke up. "I knew trouble was brewing, so I asked a friend to deliver the news of the invasion to every potential recruit out there."

"In _that_ short amount of time?"

"Well, the postman _is_ pretty damn fast on his feet." Impa smiled.

Cleo was silent for a moment. "I appreciate all of you for volunteering... But I'm afraid it's still not enough."

"Don't I have a say in this?" Xibalba asked suddenly.

"Just a sec," she said to the crowd and turned around. "What are you suggesting, that you're actually going to help?"

"I just reckon we should start the Day of the Dead a little early."

Cleo actually smiled. "Do you mean what I think you mean?"

"Well you asked for a second army, you're getting one."

She turned back to the crowd. "Good news, we're getting more help! They'll be arriving soon!"

"So, what shall we do until then?" asked Impa.

"We split up into three groups for each gate and hold off the Gerudos! Colin, you and the Resistance should take the Gorons to the east gate! Finn and Syrilla, take the Zoras to the west gate! Agitha and SK, go to the south gate with the monkeys!"

"What about you?" Colin asked.

"I'm heading to the town sewers to face Chakal. He's going to try and sneak his way into the castle through the river canal." Cleo pumped her fist in the air. "Now are you all ready?!" The crowd cheered in answer. "Then let's go Hyrule Warriors!" As they dispatched, she grabbed Impa by the shoulder. "Stay with Zelda... keep guard and stay alert. Both a full frontal assault and Chakal may be just a distraction..."

Impa nodded.

Everyone left for their assigned posts, only Finn remained. "So who else is coming? The ones who will help us?"

"Don't worry, you'll know when you see 'em."

"So... what's Chakal like?" he asked.

"...He's remarkably strong... he killed Link."

"Seriously?!" Finn gasped. "And you're going down there to face him?!"

"I've faced him twice before... I think I've figured out how to beat him. Just keep the Gerudos at bay and let _me_ worry about him!"

"Alright... just don't get killed!" Finn ran off.

Xibalba suddenly popped out of the ground. "You might want to enter your stalfos form if you want to have any chance of defeating Chakal. Once I lift the barrier between the Lands of the Living and the Dead, you won't be ethereal this time."

"Right." Cleo brought out his snake and let it bite her. After her body fell from her skeletal form, Xibalba lifted it up in his arms, then he snapped his fingers to call back the snake and stiffened it back into a staff. "Oh, and Xibalba..." They looked at each other for a few seconds. "...Thank you for assisting." Xibalba grinned in response before he took off through the roof. "Hey! Careful with my body!"

She ran to the stairway that would lead her down to the basement. She looked into the darkness for a moment before proceeding.

* * *

Finn and Syrilla took their places at the west gate. "Syrilla... in case we die... well..." he didn't get to finish before Syrilla kissed him.

* * *

Xibalba landed on the highest balcony of the castle and placed down Cleo's body. Storm clouds were brewing up in the sky. The necromancer raised his staff skyward with a twirling flourish, "Let the party begin!", and slammed it down hard. Like a shot of lighting and a spread of wildfire, flashes of green light rippled across all surfaces, spreading toward the fields outside.

The ripple of light faded out when it reached the fields and the summoning of all Cleo's allies and friends from the other world. Manolo and all the Sanchezes, King Ikana and Captain Keeta with their army, Dampe the gravekeeper, the Composer Bros., the Hero's Shade, even departed souls from Cleo's past adventures had joined the fight. They materialized in time for the Gerudos' arrival and lead the charge with a war cry.

Finn was agape. "Are these the reinforcements?!"

"Somehow, I knew that's what was coming," said Syrilla. She looked at him. "Well, don't just stand there gawking at them! Let's go!" She dragged Finn along.

"...This is suddenly turning out to be Army of Darkness in reverse..."

* * *

Cleo traveled her way down to the sewers using all of her stalfos techniques to get past the obstacles in her way. She kinda crashed to the bottom while riding down using the Rolling Bones.

"Nice sewer surfing, _Leo._ "

"Shut up, Mutagen Man!"

Cleo picked herself up from the knee high water. Then she heard a boom... boom... boom... BOOM!... BOOM!... BOOM!... She looked around for the source of the noise and could only guess that it was coming from below a thickly barred drain cover. There was a loud bang and the drain cover was heavily dented, another bang and the cover went flying off with chunks of stone as Chakal's hulking form forced his way out with his brute strength.

She got her sword and cape ready. "I've been waiting for you Chakal!"

He turned toward her at the sound of her voice and his eyes narrowed. " **Ah! Has the little chica come to play?** "

"I know why you're here! You came to take the Triforce of Wisdom from Zelda, just like you tried to get the Triforce of Courage from Link when you killed him! I know Ganondorf wants the Triforce as well as the sun spirits to complete his plan!"

" **You are very smart, Hayster... But loco! Do you really want to fight me?** "

"I do! The results are going to be different this time! Zelda is _not_ going to die today! If you want the Triforce of Wisdom... _and_ Courage, then come get _me!_ "

" **...So be it, Se** **ñorita!** " They both charged.

* * *

Impa was standing guard, after having had left a Sheikah seal on Zelda's chamber door as an added defense, keeping a sharp ear for any sign of trouble. Of course she needn't have bothered as trouble had simply walked in.

Impa saw him and unsheathed her blade. "Oh, pardon me for intruding..." Ghirahim sassed. "I was wondering if Princess Zelda is home?"

"I don't know how you got past the guards, but I assure you, you'll have a hard time getting past me..."

Ghirahim eyed her with distaste. "What makes you think you're an equal to me?"

"There's only one way to find out."

"I agree! Let's find out!" He snapped his fingers to summon a rapier and immediately went into the offence.

* * *

Cleo fought full on with Chakal using every advanced technique she could throw at him with all of the strength of a real stalfos and the power of the sun spirits. And in that strength, she was his match, his equal. Chakal realized that, he also realized he was hurting. Why was he feeling pain? He managed to give her a hard punch, sending her flying. Then he checked himself... and finally figured out what was wrong.

The Medal of Everlasting Life was gone!

The girl was powerful... he couldn't take anymore chances. " **HAYSTER!** " he bellowed, his voice reverberating throughout the sewers. " **I know you're hiding behind that rubble! You can't hide anywhere else! The moment you step out, I'll throw my sword and pin you to the wall! Don't try to outrun it! My aim is flawless! You'd best surrender now that I have you cornered!** "

There was silence. Then he heard music playing, guitar music. A-B-A-F-A-D-B

" **What are you doing?** " Then he saw Cleo's silhouette emerge. " **Stupid girl!** " He threw the machete at her and, sure enough, it hit her square in the chest. She stuck to the wall and was motionless. Laughing, he marched past the rubble toward her. But when he got close enough, he saw that it wasn't Cleo but an empty shell in her living image.

He turned around and saw the stalfos pop out of the only patch of soft ground hidden behind the rubble. She flew at him with a scream of fury. He literally had no time to block her.

He was struck down hard by a mighty jump strike, both his machetes fell from his grasp and landed point down into the ground.

* * *

Although three battles were taking place simultaneously, Cleo against Chakal, Impa against Ghirahim, and both the living and the dead armies against the Gerudos, none of them realized that a fourth battle was also taking place... and it was about to end in tragedy.


	33. Author's bad news

Just so you know, I'm not gonna upload on FanFic dot net anymore. If you want to read what happens next in Lands of the Dead, you will find the entire, completed story on DeviantArt under the same username.

I'm very sorry to any readers who come across this. But just so you know, I've had enough of FanFic dot net. I'm not gonna delete my account, not right away anyway, but I might in a few months. The reason for this is because of the stupid, idiotic, unfair, and completely unnecessary rules on how you should write your text here.

Bermuda Triangle, another fanfic of mine, had a series of individual letters (With space between them) as musical notes in some chapters to tell readers what notes are played, but when I last checked it, only one letter appeared. WTAF! Why is that not allowed?! I see no reason why it's against the writing law, because it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever!

Sure, I could fix it by writing the musical notes differently so they all appear in the fanfic, but I have been currently in the middle of uploading chapters of Lands of the Dead. And all my chapters of all my fanfics have no names, just numbers. I'm not resubmitting an old document since they have the same exact titles as the chapters I'm uploading.

Also, I'm so mad at their F***ed up publishing program that's making Bermuda Triangle look like it was badly written. They don't allow sideways V for some stupid reason, which is also utterly pointless and unnecessary. It made me look like and idiot when I tried to use them to indicate that characters are speaking a different language.

I wrote an email to the website to complain and got no response. Apparently they don't give a damn! I've seen other rules that are nonsensical even though it's unrelated to my predicament. No choose-your-own-adventure stories allowed because of little kids reading a rated M fic with rated M choices? Really?! That's what we have a rating system for, idiots, to keep the young ones away! To ban that kind of story because of that reason actually defeats the purpose of using the rating system at all!

This is what I'm talking about, this website is being run by people with no common sense and doesn't care if their program to block certain text messes up other people's hard work, like mine. After having my fanfic get messed up one too many times, I'm not gonna be their member anymore.

Don't bother asking when I'm ever coming back, I'm just gonna say I will come back as early as someday to as late as _**never.**_


End file.
